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Gay judge criticized in conservative congressional scorecard

FRC, CitizenLink rank members of Congress on anti-gay votes

Published

14 years ago

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U.S. District Judge Michael Fitzgerald

Michael Fitzgerald (Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Anti-gay groups are decrying the Senate confirmation of a gay federal judge as part of their annual congressional scorecard evaluating the commitment of House and Senate lawmakers to social conservative values.

The scorecard, a joint publication of the Family Research Council and Focus on the Family’s CitizenLink, was made public late Sunday night.

For the Senate, the scorecard rates members on the basis of seven votes over the course of this year — including the confirmation of U.S. District Judge Michael Fitzgerald, who was approved overwhelmingly in March by a 91-6 vote. The scorecard says, “FRC Action and CitizenLink Opposed this Confirmation.”

The scorecard doesn’t explicitly mention that Fitzgerald is gay, but says he “supported liberal activist organizations and worked to promote homosexual rights in the state of his judgeship.” The anti-gay groups cast in a negative light Fitzgerald’s work benefiting the LGBT community prior to his confirmation as a judge and accuse him of withholding information about his past in the questionnaire response he submitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee:

Nominated on July 20, 2011, by President Barack Obama to the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California, Mr. Fitzgerald has supported liberal activist organizations and worked to promote homosexual rights in the state of his judgeship. Mr. Fitzgerald supported activist organizations, such as the Harvard-Radcliffe Gay and Lesbian Caucus that opposed ROTC recruiting at Harvard at the same time now-Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan was Dean at Harvard Law and refused to allow ROTC recruiters on campus. Mr. Fitzgerald also provided pro-bono work in the 1990 case, Buttino v. F.B.I., in which an FBI agent alleged he was wrongfully dismissed for his sexual preference only to be shown during the case to have lied during an FBI investigation. Mr. Fitzgerald also worked to oppose Proposition 8 in California and failed to mention many of his actions in a questionnaire to the Senate that would have revealed potential conflicts of interest.

Other LGBT-relevant votes by which the scorecard evaluates members of the Senate include passage in April of a bill with explicit LGBT-protections to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act. The anti-gay group says the Senate version of the legislation “would discriminate against religious grantees who aid abused women if the grantees are opposed to homosexual behavior as a matter of faith.”

Additionally, the scorecard includes the cloture vote that led to the confirmation of Mari Carmon Aponte as U.S. ambassador to El Salvador. She came under fire from social conservatives in part because of a pro-gay op-ed piece she wrote for an El Salvador newspaper during the month of Pride.

Five senators managed a perfect score of “100 percent” as a result of the scorecard: Sens. Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Jim DeMint (R-S.C.), James Inhofe, (R-Okla.), Mike Lee (R-Utah) and Rand Paul (R-Ky.).

Fred Sainz, vice president of communications at the Human Rights Campaign, responded to the scorecard by invoking former President Reagan and saying the document reflects the Family Research Council’s continued hostility to the LGBT community.

“There they go again,” Sainz said. “Beyond death and taxes, the only other thing that you should count on is that FRC will falsely — and often hatefully – misinterpret issues important to LGBT equality. Their scorecard provides excellent examples of their bizarre animus against members of our community.”

Sainz took issue with the scorecard’s inclusion of the Fitzgerald confirmation vote, noting many Republican senators voted to confirm the judge.

“Despite the fact that Judge Fitzgerald was confirmed by a bipartisan majority of the U.S. Senate (to include Republican senators from Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi and Texas; not to mention Republican Leader Mitch McConnell and Senators McCain and Ayotte), FRC still is hell-bent on the notion that Fitzgerald is out of the mainstream,” Sainz said. “With every passing day, it becomes clearer that it’s FRC that’s out of the mainstream and in fact, painfully representative of an era of discrimination and bigotry.”

Sainz added he expects HRC to issue its own scorecard in late October.

For the House, six votes are included in scorecard, including votes on measures that would restrict abortion rights and repeal health care reform as well as a measure reaffirming the Defense of Marriage Act, which prohibits federal recognition of same-sex marriage. The measure was an amendment to Commerce-Justice-Science appropriations legislation offered by freshman Rep. Tim Huelskamp (R-Kansas) and approved by a vote of 245-171.

But scorecard misstates the practical effect of that amendment, saying the measure would stop the Justice Department from litigating against DOMA in court — a path the Obama administration has followed after declining to defend DOMA. Media reports had previously indicated that Huelskamp intended to offer an amendment to that effect, but the measure ended up saying no federal funds could be used to contravene DOMA, which would do nothing to prevent the Justice Department from presenting the view of the federal government in court that DOMA is unconstitutional.

The Huelskamp amendment isn’t the only one reaffirming DOMA that was offered on the House floor this year. Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) submitted a similar amendment that passed on the House floor as part of a defense spending measure. It’s unclear why the scorecard doesn’t includes this vote as part of its evaluation of House lawmakers.

More than 100 members of the Republican-controlled House are credited with voting each time with views consistent with the Family Research Council and CitizenLink, including Reps. Michelle Bachmann (R-Minn.), Allen West (R-Fla.) and Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.).

FRC didn’t immediately respond to questions about the scorecard.

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Arizona

Shooting outside gay bar in Ariz. leaves three dead

Tucson police investigating double murder-suicide as a hate crime

Published

8 hours ago

on

September 1, 2026

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The shooting happened outside Venture-N bar in Tucson, Ariz. (Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)

Three people were fatally shot outside a gay bar in Tucson, Ariz., early Monday morning, about a mile from the city’s nightlife district.

Police have said the shooting, which took place in the parking lot of Venture-N bar at 1239 N. 6th Ave., was likely a hate crime and a double murder-suicide following a verbal altercation.

The suspect, Ousman Ceesay, allegedly shot Vincent Anthony Siqueiros and Cameron Davis Capara while they were outside the club around 12:30 a.m. Monday.

Reports show Capara and Siqueiros were pronounced dead at the scene. Ceesay died after being taken to a local hospital with gunshot wounds.

Police have also said that Ceesay was carrying a list of LGBTQ businesses at the time of the shooting.

Arizona Public Media has said police are investigating the case as a hate crime because the suspect was carrying a note containing the names of multiple LGBTQ-associated businesses.

“I am deeply saddened that another senseless loss of life has happened in our community,” Tucson Police Chief Monica Prieto said in a statement. “Bias-based crimes are especially heinous and have no place in our community.”

According to Prieto, there is no imminent threat to the community, and the Tucson Police Department is working to provide extra protection to various LGBTQ businesses across town.

Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva, who represents the area, issued a statement condemning the act of violence, which appears to have been at least in part motivated by homophobia.

“I am disgusted and deeply saddened to learn of a targeted act of hate and the cold-blooded murder of two members of our LGBTQIA+ community, Vincent Siqueiros and Cameron Capara, at the Venture-N bar in Tucson last night. This horrific attack is a painful reminder that even in welcoming communities like Tucson, hate and violence against the LGBTQIA+ community still exist.”

“When that hate is combined with easy access to firearms, the consequences can be deadly. I am sick and tired of Congress refusing to lift a finger to protect our communities while, every day, dozens of people are shot and killed across the country. It does not have to be this way. The House of Representatives is returning to session this week, and our first action should be passing common-sense gun safety reforms that we know can save lives.”

Other federal lawmakers also condemned the shooting.

The Congressional Equality Caucus, which is made up of federal legislators advancing LGBTQ interests, issued a statement after news broke.

“Our hearts are with the friends and loved ones of the victims of this devastating attack outside a Tucson gay bar and with the Tucson LGBTQI+ community,” it said on X. “No one should fear violence because of who they are — and we’re going to continue fighting to build a world where no one does.”

The Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBTQ organization in the country, released a statement following the shooting.

“We are heartbroken by the loss of Vincent Anthony Siqueiros and Cameron Davis Capara and our hearts are with their families, loved ones, and the entire Tucson LGBTQ+ community. Once again, we are reminded that gun violence robs people of their lives, destroys families, and devastates communities.”

A candlelight vigil honoring the victims is planned for Sept. 2 at 6:30 p.m. at Catalina Park in North Tucson.

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Congress

HRC president campaigns for Chris Pappas in NH

Gay congressman running to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen

Published

1 day ago

on

August 31, 2026

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Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson, left, campaigns with U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) in Manchester, N.H., on Aug. 30, 2026. (Photo courtesy of the Human Rights Campaign)

Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson on Sunday campaigned for U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) in New Hampshire.

Robinson traveled to Manchester, the state’s largest city, nine days before the Sept. 8 primary that will determine who will vie for retiring U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.)’s seat.

Former U.S. Sen. John E. Sununu, who represented New Hampshire in the U.S. Senate from 2003-2009, will face off against former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, who represented Massachusetts in the U.S. Senate from 2010-2013, in the Republican primary.

Karishma Manzur is among the Democrats challenging Pappas.

A poll the University of New Hampshire Survey Center released on Aug. 26 shows Sununu is ahead of Brown. The same survey shows Pappas ahead of Manzur and his other Democratic challengers.

The UNH Survey Center poll shows Sununu ahead of Pappas by a 45-43 percent margin if they were to face off in the general election. The margin of error is +/-2.1 percent.

Pappas would become the first openly gay man elected to the U.S. Senate if he were to win in November.

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National

Milo Yiannopoulos deported to UK

ICE arrested far-right provocateur in New Orleans on Thursday

Published

4 days ago

on

August 28, 2026

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Milo Yiannopoulos (Photo via Homeland Security @DHSgov/X account)

Editor’s note: The Department of Homeland Security on Saturday said Milo Yiannopoulos has been deported to the U.K.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Thursday arrested far-right provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos.

A DHS spokesperson in a statement sent to the Washington Blade said ICE arrested Yiannopoulos, who they described as “an illegal alien from the United Kingdom,” at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.

The DHS spokesperson said Yiannopoulos “legally entered the country” in New York on May 14, 2019.

“He chose to overstay his welcome in violation of our nation’s laws,” said the spokesperson.

The DHS spokesperson said an immigration judge on July 22 “issued a final order of removal” for Yiannopoulos “after failing to show up for his immigration hearing.” The Times-Picayune newspaper in New Orleans on Friday reported Yiannopoulos is being held at an ICE detention center in Alexandria, La., which is about 200 miles northwest of the Crescent City.

“He will remain in ICE custody pending removal,” said the DHS spokesperson.

Yiannopoulos has, among other things, repeatedly targeted transgender people and Muslims.

The American Conservative Union, which organizes the annual Conversative Political Action Conference, in 2017 disinvited Yiannopoulos from speaking at that year’s CPAC after a video in which he appeared to condone sex between adults and underage boys emerged. Yiannopoulos subsequently resigned from Breitbart News, a far-right news website, where he had been a senior editor.

Yiannopoulos later that year married his boyfriend in Hawaii. The far-right provocateur in 2021 claimed he was an “ex-gay.”

The Australian government in 2019 banned Yiannopoulos from entering the country “on character grounds.” Yiannopoulos was also banned from Facebook, Twitter (now X), and other social media platforms.

Milo Yiannopoulos speaks at a “Gays for Trump” event during the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

The Times-Picayune reported Yiannopoulos “most recently worked for” Ye, formerly known as Kanye West.

The controversial rapper is scheduled to perform in New Orleans on Friday.

Laura Loomer, a far-right conspiracy theorist who is close to President Donald Trump, has called for Yiannopoulos’s deportation. Loomer on Friday wrote on X that she “reported him to ICE and the FBI” after he “called for me to be assassinated.”

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