CONTACTStaffCAREER OPPORTUNITIESADVERTISE WITH USPRIVACY POLICYPRIVACY PREFERENCESTERMS OF USELEGAL NOTICE
© 2024 Pride Publishing Inc.
All Rights reserved
All Rights reserved
By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Private Policy and Terms of Use.
President Bush will use a recess appointment to put ultraconservative, antigay Alabama attorney general William Pryor on the 11th U.S. circuit court of appeals, at least temporarily, government sources said Friday. The move infuriated gay and lesbian rights groups. "Why is the president issuing lifetime appointments to bigots?" said David Tseng, executive director of Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays. "Executive decisions like these assault the dignity and humanity of GLBT families and loved ones." An attorney and former Clinton White House senior policy adviser, Tseng is conversant with Pryor's record of discrimination. "We have no reason to believe that William Pryor--who has shown time and again that he's unable to separate his antigay beliefs from his professional duties--will be able to serve as a federal judge without bias," said Human Rights Campaign president Cheryl Jacques. "Mr. Pryor changed his vacation plans to avoid being at Disney World during Gay Days. If he's too prejudiced to share a 36,000-acre theme park with openly gay couples and their families, he should not be serving on a federal bench. It's especially troubling that he's been appointed to the same court that's been asked to rule on whether gays who serve as foster parents should be able to legally adopt children they've raised their entire lives." The 11th U.S. circuit court of appeals has been asked to review the decision in Lofton v. Kearney, which upheld Florida's ban on adoptions by gay and lesbian parents even though gays are allowed to serve as foster parents. There are more than 4,000 children currently waiting for homes in Florida. In addition, Pryor filed an amicus brief in Lawrence v. Texas, the Supreme Court case challenging Texas's sodomy law, to liken homosexuality to incest, necrophilia, pedophilia, prostitution, and adultery. He also argued that sodomy is a chosen behavior unworthy of constitutional protection. "Mr. Pryor's remarks fly in the face of scientific and medical evidence and common decency," Jacques said. "He has used his position to marginalize and malign GLBT Americans. That kind of bias and blatant discrimination is not appropriate for someone assuming a lifetime appointment to a federal circuit court." After senators were informed by the White House, Pryor went to the federal courthouse in Montgomery, Ala., where he was expected to be sworn in at a private ceremony. The recess appointment, which would last only until the end of 2005, would be the second by Bush to sidestep Democrats who have mounted successful filibusters against Pryor and five other appeals court nominees. Bush picked Pryor last April for a seat on the 11th circuit court of appeals, which covers Alabama, Georgia, and Florida. Abortion rights advocates immediately mounted a campaign against him, citing Pryor's criticism of the Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade decision, which affirmed a woman's constitutional right to terminate a pregnancy. Republicans have been unsuccessful in five attempts, the last one in November, at breaking through the procedural blockade that Democrats erected against Pryor's nomination. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) accused Bush of using a recess appointment to bolster his standing with Republican conservatives before the fall election. "Regularly circumventing the advise-and-consent process is not the way to change the tone in Washington," Schumer said.
Want more breaking equality news & trending entertainment stories?
Check out our NEW 24/7 streaming service: the Advocate Channel!
Download the Advocate Channel App for your mobile phone and your favorite streaming device!
From our Sponsors
Most Popular
Here Are Our 2024 Election Predictions. Will They Come True?
November 07 2023 1:46 PM
Meet all 37 of the queer women in this season's WNBA
April 17 2024 11:24 AM
17 Celebs Who Are Out & Proud of Their Trans & Nonbinary Kids
November 30 2023 10:41 AM
Here Are the 15 Most LGBTQ-Friendly Cities in the U.S.
November 01 2023 5:09 PM
Which State Is the Queerest? These Are the States With the Most LGBTQ+ People
December 11 2023 10:00 AM
These 27 Senate Hearing Room Gay Sex Jokes Are Truly Exquisite
December 17 2023 3:33 PM
10 Cheeky and Homoerotic Photos From Bob Mizer's Nude Films
November 18 2023 10:05 PM
42 Flaming Hot Photos From 2024's Australian Firefighters Calendar
November 10 2023 6:08 PM
These Are the 5 States With the Smallest Percentage of LGBTQ+ People
December 13 2023 9:15 AM
Here are the 15 gayest travel destinations in the world: report
March 26 2024 9:23 AM
Watch Now: The Daily
Trending stories from our video partner Advocate Channel.
For more videos and shows go to advocatechannel.com.
Trending stories from our video partner Advocate Channel.
For more videos and shows go to advocatechannel.com.
Latest Stories
Over 90% of trans youth live in states pushing anti-trans legislation: report
April 23 2024 10:08 PM
George Santos pulls out of New York congressional race
April 23 2024 7:04 PM
Biden will hammer Trump over abortion bans in Florida speech
April 23 2024 5:00 AM
Tristan Snell, who brought down Trump University, sees conviction in hush money case
April 22 2024 7:36 PM
Joe Biden admin marks Earth Day with major environmental initiatives
April 22 2024 4:18 PM
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott: 'We want to end' trans and gender nonconforming teachers
April 22 2024 4:13 PM
Nonbinary 17-year-old killed two years after being reported missing
April 22 2024 3:46 PM