In his speech to the Human Rights Campaign Saturday night, President Obama said he will stand by his nominees if they are attacked, presumably referring to two openly gay nominees that have been drawing fire from the right wing.
“Nobody in America should be fired because they’re gay, despite doing a great job and meeting their responsibilities. It’s not fair. It’s not right. We’re going to put a stop to it,” Obama said. “And it’s for this reason that if any of my nominees are attacked, not for what they believe but for who they are, I will not waver in my support, because I will not waver in my commitment to ending discrimination in all its forms.”
He did not refer to the nominees by name.
One of the appointees, Kevin Jennings, heads the Department of Education’s Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools. He has been falsely accused of encouraging statutory rape and supporting NAMBLA (the North American Man-Boy Love Association) by the likes of Sean Hannity, Rep. Steve King (R-IA) and anti-gay groups.
The other is Chai Feldblum, a lesbian and gay rights lawyer who’s been nominated to be one of five commissioners on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. Feldblum has specialized in equality in the workplace, helping to write the Americans with Disabilities Act and and the Employee Non-Discrimination Act.
Ultra-conservative site World Net Daily has attacked her for saying, “Gay sex is morally good.” Because she’s worked as legal counsel for the American Civil Liberties Union, the Traditional Values Coalition said she’s “a sort of general counsel to the Forces of Darkness.”
Feldblum must be confirmed by the Senate.
Obama has also nominated David Huebner, an openly gay lawyer, to be ambassador to New Zealand and Samoa. So far, that nomination hasn’t drawn criticism from right-wing groups.
(H/T Think Progress)
