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human rights campaign
Kavanaugh Lied Under Oath & Must Be Held Accountable
Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, called on the U.S. Senate to hold Brett Kavanaugh responsible for lying under oath to the Senate Judiciary Committee and to reject his nomination.
Oct 01, 2018
Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, called on the U.S. Senate to hold Brett Kavanaugh responsible for lying under oath to the Senate Judiciary Committee and to reject his nomination.
"No one is entitled to an appointment to the United States Supreme Court. Honesty and integrity are essential qualifications. It is now clear that Judge Kavanaugh has repeatedly provided false testimony to the Senate Judiciary Committee and the American people," said HRC Government Affairs Director David Stacy. "From the start, this confirmation process has been rushed, documents withheld, and the nominee has demonstrated lack of candor and temperament. Enough is enough. The American people deserve better than this. This nomination must be withdrawn or voted down."
There is compelling evidence that Brett Kavanaugh has lied regarding a range of issues including about Dr. Christine Blasey Ford being in his social circle, the Blasey Ford allegation being the subject of an investigation prior to the White House instructions to the FBI, the content and conclusion of witnesses' statements, and his alcohol usage while at Yale.
He has claimed he did not "drink to the point of blacking out" in high school and college, contrary to claims made by numerous classmates. He claimed the derogatory and insinuating remark written in yearbooks ("Renate Alumnius") about a female classmate (which she called "horrible, hurtful, and simply untrue") was a "sign of affection" and not related to sexual conquests, a claim disputed by four other classmates, including Sean Hagan, who wrote of Kavanaugh's lie regarding this: "So angry. So disgusted. So sad. Integrity? Character? Honesty?" Kavanaugh even lied about the relatively trivial definitions of sexual slang terms used by he and his classmates.
Notably, Kavanaugh also claimed he was unaware that a Republican staffer in the Bush White House had stolen documents about judicial nominations from the computer servers of Democratic lawmakers, when in fact, he was sent the stolen documents through email and expressed an interest in meeting in-person to review them.
In August, the Human Rights Campaign joined partner coalition organizations in calling on Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley to order the release of millions of documents in the National Archives and George W. Bush Presidential Library related to the career of Brett Kavanaugh, a standard practice for Supreme Court nominees. This was ignored by Chairman Grassley, Senate Republicans, and the White House.
To that end, HRC released a video and report explaining why understanding Kavanaugh's record at the White House is important; during these years, former President George W. Bush pressed for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex couples from marrying and opposed hate crimes legislation.
To date, an estimated 97 percent of the documents related to Brett Kavanaugh's career have yet to be released, an unprecedented lack of transparency for a Supreme Court nominee.
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We Believe Dr. Blasey Ford. If the White House Does Not Withdraw Kavanaugh, the Senate Must Reject His Nomination
The Senate refuses to call for the FBI to investigate. The Senate must reject this nomination.
Sep 27, 2018
Today, following the credible testimony of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) again called on the White House to withdraw Brett Kavanaugh's nomination and for members of the United States Senate to oppose his confirmation to the Supreme Court of the United States. To date, Donald Trump and Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley have refused to honor precedent by asking the FBI to investigate the credible allegations of sexual assault against Brett Kavanaugh brought forward by Dr. Blasey Ford, Deborah Ramirez, Julie Swetnick, and other potential survivors. In light of this refusal to fully investigate, and the credible testimony given by Dr. Blasey Ford today, Kavanaugh must not be confirmed to the nation's highest court.
"Dr. Christine Blasey Ford has bravely come forward, delivered credible and compelling testimony about her sexual assault, and has provided significant detail that would allow the Senate Judiciary Committee to corroborate her allegations. Despite this, Donald Trump, Senate Judiciary Chairman Chuck Grassley and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell have refused to fully investigate her claims or halt the proceedings to gather more information, and have instead fast-tracked Kavanaugh's confirmation. And today, they despicably attempted to put a sexual assault survivor on trial. This is unacceptable," said HRC President Chad Griffin. "In light of what we have heard, and Senator Grassley's refusal to pursue an FBI investigation, the Trump-Pence Administration must withdraw Kavanaugh's nomination immediately. If they do not, members of the Senate must oppose and vote against his confirmation. The price of admission to our nation's highest court must be a fair, deliberate, thorough and transparent confirmation process. Instead, in their rush to hijack the Supreme Court, Senator Grassley, Senator McConnell and this White House are compounding the harms endured by these women and thousands of other survivors while undermining our democracy in the process."
HRC Scores L.L. Bean Inc.'s LGBTQ-Inclusive Workplace Policies in New Corporate Equality Index
Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the educational arm of the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, announced a record number of the nation's major companies and law firms are advancing vital policies and practices to protect LGBTQ workers around the world, according to the 2018
Nov 09, 2017
Today, the Human Rights Campaign (HRC) Foundation, the educational arm of the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) civil rights organization, announced a record number of the nation's major companies and law firms are advancing vital policies and practices to protect LGBTQ workers around the world, according to the 2018 Corporate Equality Index (CEI), an annual report assessing LGBTQ inclusion in major companies and law firms across the nation, including L.L. Bean Inc. in Maine.
This year, a record-breaking 609 businesses earned the CEI's top score of 100, up from 517 last year -- a single-year increase of 18 percent. This record sets a new high water mark for corporate leadership over the 15-year history of the CEI.
In total, 947 companies and law firms were officially rated in the new CEI, up from 887 in last year's. The report also unofficially rated 137 Fortune 500 companies, which have yet to respond to an invitation to participate in the CEI survey assessing their LGBTQ policies and practices. L.L. Bean Inc, located in Freeport, scored a 60 out of 100.
"At a time when the rights of LGBTQ people are under attack by the Trump-Pence Administration and state legislatures across the country, hundreds of top American companies are driving progress toward equality in the workplace," said HRC President Chad Griffin. "The top-scoring companies on this year's CEI are not only establishing policies that affirm and include employees here in the United States, they are applying these policies to their operations around the globe and impacting millions of people beyond our shores. In addition, many of these companies have also become vocal advocates for equality in the public square, including the dozens that have signed on to amicus briefs in vital Supreme Court cases and the 106 corporate supporters of the Equality Act. We are proud to have developed so many strong partnerships with corporate allies who see LGBTQ equality as a crucial issue for our country and for their businesses."
Key national findings revealed in the 2018 CEI:
- 609 companies earned a perfect 100 points, up from 517 in the 2017 report;
- Gender identity is now part of non-discrimination policies at 83 percent of Fortune 500 companies, up from just 3 percent in 2002;
- 459 major employers have adopted supportive inclusion guidelines for transgender workers who are transitioning;
- 137 Fortune 500 companies were given unofficial scores based on publicly available information.
The CEI rates companies and top law firms on detailed criteria falling under five broad categories:
- Non-discrimination policies
- Employment benefits
- Demonstrated organizational competency and accountability around LGBTQ diversity and inclusion
- Public commitment to LGBTQ equality
- Responsible citizenship
The full report, including a searchable employer database is available online at www.hrc.org/cei.
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Senators Send Letter to DeVos about Civil Rights Enforcement at the Department of Education
Earlier today, 34 Democratic U.S. senators, led by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), sent a letter to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos expressing disappointment and alarm over the Trump-Pence Administration's efforts to diminish the U.S. Department of Education's (ED) enforcement of civil rights laws and calling on the department to provide specific documents relating to their enforcement efforts.
Jun 28, 2017
Earlier today, 34 Democratic U.S. senators, led by Senator Patty Murray (D-WA), sent a letter to Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos expressing disappointment and alarm over the Trump-Pence Administration's efforts to diminish the U.S. Department of Education's (ED) enforcement of civil rights laws and calling on the department to provide specific documents relating to their enforcement efforts.
The letter details DeVos' refusal to commit to protecting student's civil rights, a recent ED event that featured anti-LGBTQ hate group the Family Research Council, and the appointment of staff who oppose ED's guidance on schools' obligations under Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 to address sexual harassment, including sexual violence. The letter also documents recent decisions by ED to narrow its investigations of discrimination and harassment, and end oversight by department headquarters of certain types of investigations.
A significant portion of the letter is also devoted to the department's actions around transgender discrimination. Earlier this year, the Departments of Education and Justice, under the direction of DeVos and Attorney General Jeff Sessions, rescinded Obama-era guidance explaining schools' obligations to protect transgender students under Title IX.
In addition to citing this rescission, the senators' letter also cites additional anti-transgender actions taken by DeVos and her department, including dismissing or closing at least two civil rights cases involving transgender students, withdrawing previous findings of discrimination against school districts, and publishing a memo that permits investigators to dismiss cases relating to anti-transgender discrimination.
The letter concludes by requesting nine pieces of information and documents, including a list of all open Office for Civil Rights (OCR) cases involving transgender students as of January 30, 2017, so the senators can "fully understand the impact of recent policy and civil rights investigatory and enforcement changes at the Department and OCR."
"There is no more serious responsibility of the Department [of Education] than to ensure consistent, vigorous enforcement of civil rights laws and protections for all students," the letter states.
HRC could not agree more and commends Senator Murray and the 33 Democratic Senators who also signed on to the letter to DeVos. HRC echoes their call for DeVos to vigorously enforce civil rights law and ensure LGBTQ students are protected from discrimination.
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