Date: Tue, 03 Jun 97 18:44:08 EDT From: "Phil Attey" Subject: CONGRESSMAN SAYS HE WOULDNT HIRE GAYS, YET SIGNED N-D STATE ________________________________________________________ NEWS from the Human Rights Campaign 1101 14th Street NW Washington, DC 20005 email: hrc@hrc.org WWW: http://www.hrc.org ________________________________________________________ FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE June 3, 1997 WISCONSIN CONGRESSMAN SAYS HE WOULDNÆT HIRE GAYS, YET SIGNED NON-DISCRIMINATION STATEMENT HRC Terms Rep. Mark Neumann æAn Equal-Opportunity PandererÆ EMAIL REP. NEUMANN YOUR CONCERN USING HRCÆS ONLINE ACTION CENTER http://www.hrc.org WASHINGTON -- Wisconsin Republican Rep. Mark Neumann says he wouldnÆt hire an openly gay person to work for him, even though he has signed a statement saying he does not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation in his offices, according to the Human Rights Campaign. ôCongressman NeumannÆs statements clearly illustrate the need for a federal law to protect people from this kind of discrimination,ö Winnie Stachelberg, HRCÆs legislative director, said today. ôPlus, what he is advocating is patently illegal in his home state, which was the first to pass a law against anti-gay discrimination in employment and elsewhere.ö Currently, 10 states have laws aimed at protecting people from discrimination based on sexual orientation. An 11th state, New Hampshire, has passed similar legislation, which is awaiting the governorÆs signature. The April 23 edition of the Wisconsin Light, a gay newspaper, reported that Neumann signed a statement from the Log Cabin Republicans, a gay political organization, that he would not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation in the hiring, firing or promoting of personnel in his offices. Yet on Sunday, Neumann told about 70 Wisconsin members of the Christian Coalition that ôthe gay and lesbian lifestyle [is] unacceptable, lest there be any question about that.ö ôIf somebody walks in to me and says, æIÆm a gay person, I want a job in your office,Æ I would say thatÆs inappropriate, and they shouldnÆt be hired because that would mean they are promoting their agenda,ö he said. NeumannÆs remarks were reported in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. ôMark Neumann appears to be an equal-opportunity panderer, adopting positions depending on which group heÆs addressing,ö Stachelberg said. In 1993, three members of Congress from Oklahoma created a furor when they told the Tulsa World that they would not hire an openly gay person to work for them. This led the Human Rights Campaign to begin asking members of Congress to confirm in writing that they do not discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation in their offices. A majority of both houses of the 105th Congress have offered HRC such written confirmation: 65 senators and 244 representatives. Neumann did not return such a statement to HRC. The Human Rights Campaign is the largest national lesbian and gay political organization, with members throughout the country. It effectively lobbies Congress, provides campaign support and educates the public to ensure that lesbian and gay Americans can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community. - 30 -