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Log Cabin Republicans

Gay Republicans: Standing firmly behind Bush

Washington, D.C.--The local, state and national leadership of the nation's largest gay Republican organization began converging on the nation's capital Wednesday for an annual convention that will spotlight the leadership of President George W. Bush and Republicans in Congress.

Log Cabin Republicans (LCR) is the leading national political organization which reportedly represents over 1.1 million gay and lesbian voters who supported President Bush in the 2000 presidential election.

In concert with the convention, LCR will launch a national print ad campaign on April 19th in the gay press in support of President Bush's "leadership in these challenging times."

In stark contrast to the burgeoning anti-war demonstrations scheduled this weekend by peace advocates from many states, the activist leadership of LCR will celebrate the Bush Administration, voicing "strong support for its record and accomplishments, and its leadership in the war against terrorism."

"It is time to speak out on behalf of over one million gay Americans who voted for President Bush and who strongly support his leadership today," said Rich Tafel, executive director of Log Cabin Republicans.

"One-third of gay Americans have consistently voted Republican in each general election over the last decade, and we want the country to know that we are behind our President and his Administration."

In addition to its support for the war, LCR has strongly backed a number of key policy initiatives of the Bush Administration, including the expansion of the domestic and global fight against HIV/AIDS, education reform, repeal of the death tax, anti-recession economic stimulus efforts, and the President's faith-based and community initiatives legislation.

LCR also supported the White House in the nomination of Attorney General John Ashcroft, who was confirmed, and the nomination of Judge Charles Pickering for the federal circuit court, who was blocked by Senate Democrats.

President Bush has appointed several qualified gay Americans to a range of positions within the Administration, many of whom came out of LCR leadership.

The White House also retained anti-discrimination policies for gay federal workers, for which LCR along with other organizations, lobbied in support.

Bush's director of the White House Office of National AIDS Policy, Scott Evertz, has led the Administration's efforts, says LCR, to "expand the fight against HIV/AIDS at home and in the developing world." Evertz is the former president of LCR Wisconsin.

Last week, Attorney General John Ashcroft announced the first-ever federal indictment of an anti-gay hate murderer, adding that "the volatile, poisonous nature of hatred and violence will not go unchallenged in the American system of justice."

"Just as the United States will pursue, prosecute and punish terrorists who attack America out of hatred for what we believe," Ashcroft said when he announced the indictment, "we will pursue, prosecute and punish those who attack law-abiding Americans out of hatred for who they are."

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Leaders from 50 chapters around the nation will arrive in Washington to hold strategic planning sessions and attend political and policy briefings on Capitol Hill with Congressional Republican leaders, including senior members of the GOP Congressional leadership, and officials of the Bush Administration. The convention will culminate at LCR's annual Black Tie Celebration on Capitol Hill.