Romney takes action against commission on gay and lesbian youth

This guy is using gay kids as collateral damage in his quest for the presidency.......

http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2006/05/11/romney_takes_action_against_commission_on_gay_and_lesbian_youth/

Romney takes action against commission on gay and lesbian youth
By Steve LeBlanc, Associated Press Writer | May 11, 2006

BOSTON --Gov. Mitt Romney briefly moved to abolish the Gov.'s Commission on Gay and Lesbian Youth on Thursday but quickly reversed himself, the chairwoman of the commission said.

A spokesman for the governor denied that Romney issued an executive order abolishing the commission but acknowledged the governor considered taking that action after a press release with the governor's official seal was issued touting an upcoming gay pride rally.

The apparent reversal came in a flurry of telephone calls Thursday afternoon.

Commission chairwoman Kathleen Henry said she received a call shortly before 3 p.m. from Romney chief of staff Beth Myers saying that Romney "had issued an executive order revoking the commission."

That sparked an uproar from lawmakers and supporters of the commission, which prompted a second call from Myers just after 5 p.m., Henry said. Myers told her that Romney had decided against abolishing the commission, but would instead call for it to refocus its efforts on helping gay and lesbian youth, Henry said.

"I am so thrilled at the response from people on the hill and from the community at large," Henry said in a telephone interview with The Associated Press. "It has just been extraordinary."

The governor's spokesman Eric Fehrnstrom said Romney, who is weighing a campaign for the Republican nomination for president in 2008, never issued an executive order. He said Romney weighed shutting down the commission.

"We considered abolishing the commission, but the governor thought that was too harsh," Fehrnstrom said.

He confirmed that Myers had more than one phone conversation with Henry, but said he didn't know what was said.

"We are directing the commission not to use taxpayer money for parades and parties but instead to focus their resources on counseling and the development of strategies for the prevention of violence and suicide," Fehrnstrom said.

Henry said no tax dollars were being spent on the Saturday rally, organized in part by the commission.

Fehrnstrom said Romney's action came after a press release on the governor's office stationery went out without Romney's approval announcing the rally in celebration of "gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender and queer (GLBTQ) youth and their supporters."

He said the press release was "not something that we would have the governor associated with."

The rally is 12th such parade sponsored in part by the commission. A call left with one of the organizers of the rally identified on the press release was not immediately returned.

The Web site for the commission could not be accessed on Thursday. Fehrnstrom said he had no information about the Web site.

Last year Romney vetoed a $100,000 funding increase for the commission. Lawmakers overturned that veto.

Sen. Jarrett Barrios, D-Cambridge, criticized Romney's actions and said he would push lawmakers to create a state commission for gay and lesbian youth out of the political reach of the governor's office.

"It's extremely disappointing that our governor seems not to care for these children and their plight," said Barrios, who is gay.

The commission was created by former Republican Gov. William F. Weld by an executive order in 1992 in response to national reports about high suicide rates among gay and lesbian youths. It was the first such commission in the country.

A spokesman for the secretary of state's office, which would have handled any executive order, said he wasn't able to confirm whether an order was filed because the office had closed by the time an AP reporter requested the information.


© Copyright 2006 The New York Times Company

He comes from a polygamous family but wants to "shun" gays until there is an outrage? Republicans are a bunch of sickos.

poor schmo SHOULD have abolished it. then he'd have really been able to put on a show as he fumbled to reverse it. i liked the bit about how his veto was overturned.

... about who he is and what he believes... to get elected in Massachusetts.

What's amazing to me, as his true colors emerge, is that anyone ever fell for those lies in the first place.

And if he runs for president, bring popcorn.

:sarcasm:

gay hatin' credentials so the rapid rong will flock 2 their polling place 2 elect another divider in '08.

Mary Cheney's kind of guy.

a chip off the old block.