News
DNC treasurer says lack of ENDA directive ‘frustrating and perplexing’
Speculation mounts that president will act after Biden address
Democratic National Committee Treasurer Andrew Tobias says the lack of an ENDA executive order is “frustrating and perplexing” (Blade file photo by Michael Key).
Democratic National Committee Treasurer Andrew Tobias has joined those expressing concern over why President Obama hasn’t signed an executive order barring LGBT discrimination among federal contractors, saying it should be signed and its absence is “frustrating and perplexing.”
Amid renewed questions over why Obama hasn’t signed the order following a speech from Vice President Joseph Biden in which he called the lack of LGBT protections “close to barbaric,” Tobias articulated his own concerns as he maintained that fighting for Democratic control of Congress is of utmost importance.
The DNC treasurer made the comments in an off-the-record listserv for LGBT donors via an email that was leaked to the Washington Blade.
“I agree 100% with those who say it should be signed, 100% with those who believe we should keep pressing, and 100% with those who say it’s frustrating and perplexing,” Tobias wrote. “But I think we would be crazy to let it diminish our efforts to hold the Senate, get Nancy her gavel back, and lay the groundwork for a huge LGBT supporter to win the White House in 2016. (All our plausible 2016 nominees are huge LGBT supporters.)”
Tobias, who’s gay, confirmed to the Washington Blade the email indeed came from him as did other individuals on the listserv, who said the message came from his email account on Wednesday. Notably, these individuals said Tobias told LGBT donors in his email that listserv members should feel free to quote him as expressing those views. Tobias also told the Blade to quote him as such.
The remarks are noteworthy for Tobias, who has a reputation for tamping down criticism and concern over the Obama administration and the DNC for not doing enough on LGBT rights. It has particular significance because it comes at a time when the DNC is busy raising money to hold onto the Senate during the congressional midterms.
Last year in another email to the listserv following concerns at that time over the executive order, Tobias maintained everyone within the administration supports it, but that a “process” is holding it up.
Tobias’ latest remarks follow continued frustration with Obama over why he continues to withhold the executive order, which LGBT advocates maintain is a 2008 campaign promise of his, after the No. 2 person in his administration called the lack of federal prohibition on LGBT workplace discrimination “close to barbaric.”
Biden made the remarks while calling on Congress to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, legislation that would bar anti-LGBT workplace discrimination, while speaking to about 1,000 attendees at the Human Rights Campaign annual dinner in Los Angeles.
“If you think about it, it’s outrageous we’re even debating this subject,” Biden said. “I really mean it. I mean it’s almost beyond belief that today, in 2014, I could say to you, as your employee in so many states, you’re fired, because of who you love.”
The vice president never mentioned the much sought executive order in his speech, but LGBT advocates questioned why Obama hasn’t acted on the directive if the lack of protections is so barbaric. Some advocates also projected a scenario in which Obama would sign the order as a result in the days ahead.
After all, Biden’s endorsement of marriage equality on “Meet the Press” in 2012 preceded Obama’s own endorsement of marriage equality by just three days and was seen as a trigger for the president’s announcement.
Darlene Nipper, deputy executive director of the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force, was among those envisioning the executive order coming shortly from Obama as a result of the Biden address.
“As we saw with marriage equality, Vice President Biden is sometimes the person who will preview a presidential decision,” Nipper said. “So let’s hope his recent comments means that a non-discrimination executive order is imminent from President Obama.”
The White House didn’t respond to a request for comment about any updates on the possible executive order. Last week, White House Press Secretary Jay Carney reiterated the administration’s preference for legislation to bar LGBT workplace discrimination when asked by the Washington Blade about a letter signed by more than 200 Democrats calling for the directive.
“There is no question, I think, in anyone’s mind that the passage of legislation, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, would provide those protections broadly in a way the EO would not,” Carney said. “And as I’ve said before, opposition to that legislation is contrary to the tide of history and those lawmakers who oppose this will find, in the not too distant future, that they made a grave mistake and that they will regret it.”
But Biden’s description of the lack of LGBT workplace non-discrimination rules as “close to barbaric” and the continued absence of an executive order that would institute them riled members of the LGBT donor listserv, who pestered Tobias with emails over why it hasn’t been done.
In another email earlier in the week, the DNC treasurer said the best approach to the situation is highlighting stories of people harmed by the lack of the directive as well as studies showing the scale of the problem — in addition to working for Democratic electoral gains in 2014 and 2016.
Heather Cronk, managing director of the LGBT grassroots group GetEQUAL, said Biden’s use of “barbaric” to describe anti-LGBT workplace discrimination should be the driving force prompting Obama to take executive action.
“In fact, Biden’s remarks are exactly where the rest of the country is — given that 90 percent of Americans think there is already a federal law in place, one would think that this comment from Biden would kick start a commitment by the Obama administration to lead on this issue and to sign this executive order without delay,” Cronk said. “Anything less is simply dangling equality in front of our noses, hoping that we’ll show up for midterms — which is, indeed, barbaric.”
For its part, the White House continues to advocate for ENDA as pressure builds on Obama to sign the executive order.
Shin Inouye, a White House spokesperson, referenced the idea of ENDA supporters starting a discharge petition in the House to bring the bill up for a vote. A successful discharge petition requires 218 names, the same number of individuals needed to pass legislation on the House floor.
“The President continues to believe that the House should join the Senate and pass ENDA so he can sign it into law,” Inouye said. “We would welcome efforts to bring this legislation to the floor for a vote.”
LGBT advocates have told the Blade that a discharge petition should be considered a last resort to pass ENDA because the tactic is viewed as a criticism of leadership for not advancing a bill. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid dismissed the idea of the petition when speaking with reporters late last year, saying Republican leadership would discourage members from signing it before it reached 218 names.
Meanwhile, LGBT advocates have amped up their efforts to encourage U.S. House Speaker John Boehner to bring up ENDA for a vote in the House. The coalition known as Americans for Workplace Opportunity, which helped guide the Senate to pass ENDA on a bipartisan basis in September, is putting up more than $2 million to pass ENDA in the chamber. Much of the money is coming from Republican superdonors Paul Singer and Seth Klarman, who each donated $375,000.
Fred Sainz, vice president of the Human Rights Campaign, said even with the push for ENDA, Obama has “absolutely no reason” to delay in signing an executive order on behalf of LGBT workers.
“This easily has to be the most studied and mulled-over executive order in history,” Sainz said. “The leadership of this president and his entire administration on issues important to LGBT equality has been absolutely tremendous. The decision to apply nondiscrimination protections to the workers of federal contractors will fit in nicely with his historic legacy on LGBT equality.”
Virginia
DOJ seeks to join lawsuit against Loudoun County over trans student in locker room
Three male high school students suspended after complaining about classmate
The Justice Department has asked to join a federal lawsuit against Loudoun County Public Schools over the way it handled the case of three male high school students who complained about a transgender student in a boys’ locker room.
The Washington Blade earlier this year reported Loudoun County public schools suspended the three boys and launched a Title IX investigation into whether they sexually harassed the student after they said they felt uncomfortable with their classmate in the locker room at Stone Bridge High School in Ashburn.
The parents of two of the boys filed a lawsuit against Loudoun County public schools in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia in Alexandria. The Richmond-based Founding Freedoms Law Center and America First Legal, which White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller co-founded, represent them.
The Justice Department in a Dec. 8 press release announced that “it filed legal action against the Loudoun County (Va.) School Board (Loudoun County) for its denial of equal protection based on religion.”
“The suit alleges that Loudoun County applied Policy 8040, which requires students and faculty to accept and promote gender ideology, to two Christian, male students in violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution,” reads the press release.
Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K. Dhillon of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division in the press release said “students do not shed their First Amendment rights at the schoolhouse gate.”
“Loudoun County’s decision to advance and promote gender ideology tramples on the rights of religious students who cannot embrace ideas that deny biological reality,” said Dhillon.
Outgoing Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and outgoing Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares in May announced an investigation into the case.
The Virginia Department of Education in 2023 announced the new guidelines for trans and nonbinary students for which Youngkin asked. Equality Virginia and other advocacy groups claim they, among other things, forcibly out trans and nonbinary students.
The U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Civil Rights in February launched an investigation into whether Loudoun County and four other Northern Virginia school districts’ policies in support of trans and nonbinary students violate Title IX and President Donald Trump’s executive order that prohibits federally funded educational institutions from promoting “gender ideology.”
The White House
As house Democrats release Epstein photos, Garcia continues to demand DOJ transparency
Blade this week sat down with gay House Oversight Committee ranking member
Democrats on the House Oversight Committee have released new photos from Jeffrey Epstein’s email and computer records, including images highlighting the relationship between President Donald Trump and the convicted sex offender.
Epstein, a wealthy financier, was found guilty of procuring a child for prostitution and sex trafficking, serving a 13-month prison sentence in 2008. At the time of his death in prison under mysterious circumstances, he was facing charges of sex trafficking and conspiracy to traffic minors.
Among those pictured in Epstein’s digital files are Trump, former President Bill Clinton, former Trump adviser Steve Bannon, actor and director Woody Allen, economist Larry Summers, lawyer Alan Dershowitz, entrepreneurs Richard Branson and Bill Gates, and Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor.
One photo shows Trump alongside Epstein and a woman at a Victoria’s Secret party in New York in 1997. American media outlets have published the image, while Getty Images identified the woman as model Ingrid Seynhaeve.
Oversight Committee Democrats are reviewing the full set of photos and plan to release additional images to the public in the coming days and weeks, emphasizing their commitment to protecting survivors’ identities.
With just a week left for the Justice Department to publish all files related to Epstein following the passage of the Epstein Files Transparency Act, which requires the Justice Department to release most records connected to Epstein investigations, the Washington Blade sat down with U.S. Rep. Robert Garcia (D-Calif.), the ranking member on the Oversight Committee to discuss the current push the release of more documents.
Garcia highlighted the committee’s commitment to transparency and accountability.
“We’ve said anything that we get we’re going to put out. We don’t care who is in the files … if you’ve harmed women and girls, then we’ve got to hold you accountable.”
He noted ongoing questions surrounding Trump’s relationship with Epstein, given their long history and the apparent break in friendship once Trump assumed public office.
“There’s been a lot of questions about … Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein. They were best friends for 10 years … met women there and girls.”
Prior to Trump’s presidency, it was widely reported that the two were friends who visited each other’s properties regularly. Additional reporting shows they socialized frequently throughout the 1990s and early 2000s, attending parties at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida and Epstein’s residences. Flight logs from an associate’s trial indicate Trump flew on Epstein’s private jet multiple times, and Epstein claimed Trump first had sex with his future wife, Melania Knauss, aboard the jet.
“We’ve provided evidence … [that leads to] questions about what the relationship was like between Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein.”
Garcia stressed the need for answers regarding the White House’s role in withholding information, questioning the sudden change in attitude toward releasing the files given Trump’s campaign promises.
“Why is the White House trying to cover this up? So if he’s not covering for himself … he’s covering up for his rich friends,” Garcia said. “Why the cover up? Who are you hiding for? I think that’s the question.”
He confirmed that Trump is definitively in the Epstein files, though the extent remains unknown, but will be uncovered soon.
“We know that Trump’s in them. Yeah, he’s been told. We know that Trump’s in them in some way. As far as the extent of it … we don’t know.”
Garcia emphasized accountability for all powerful figures implicated, regardless of financial status, political party, or personal connections.
“All these powerful men that are walking around right now … after abusing, in some cases, 14‑ and 15‑year‑old girls, they have to be held accountable,” he said. “There has to be justice for those survivors and the American public deserves the truth about who was involved in that.”
He added that while he is the ranking member, he will ensure the oversight committee will use all available political tools, including subpoenas — potentially even for the president.
“We want to subpoena anyone that we can … everyone’s kind of on the table.”
He also emphasized accountability for all powerful figures implicated, regardless of financial status, political party, or relationship with the president.
“For me, they’re about justice and doing the right thing,” Garcia said. “This is about women who … were girls and children when they were being abused, trafficked, in some cases, raped. And these women deserve justice.”
“The survivors are strong.”
Deputy White House Press Secretary Abigail Jackson issued a statement regarding the release the photos, echoing previous comments from Republicans on the timing and framing of the photos by the Oversight Committee.
“Once again, House Democrats are selectively releasing cherry-picked photos with random redactions to try and create a false narrative,” Jackson said.
“The Democrat hoax against President Trump has been repeatedly debunked and the Trump administration has done more for Epstein’s victims than Democrats ever have by repeatedly calling for transparency, releasing thousands of pages of documents, and calling for further investigations into Epstein’s Democrat friends,”
In a press release on Friday, Garcia called for immediate DOJ action:
“It is time to end this White House cover-up and bring justice to the survivors of Jeffrey Epstein and his powerful friends. These disturbing photos raise even more questions about Epstein and his relationships with some of the most powerful men in the world. We will not rest until the American people get the truth. The Department of Justice must release all the files, NOW.”
(Photo courtesy of the U.S. House Oversight Committee)
District of Columbia
Capital Pride announces change in date for 2026 D.C. Pride parade and festival
Events related to U.S. 250th anniversary and Trump birthday cited as reasons for change
The Capital Pride Alliance, the D.C. based group that organizes the city’s annual LGBTQ Pride events, has announced it is changing the dates for the 2026 Capital Pride Parade and Festival from the second weekend in June to the third weekend.
“For over a decade, Capital Pride has taken place during the second weekend in June, but in 2026, we are shifting our dates in response to the city’s capacity due to major events and preparations for the 250th anniversary of the United States,” according to a Dec. 9 statement released by Capital Pride Alliance.
The statement says the parade will take place on Saturday, June 20, 2026, with the festival and related concert taking place on June 21.
“This change ensures our community can gather safely and without unnecessary barriers,” the statement says. “By moving the celebration, we are protecting our space and preserving Pride as a powerful act of visibility, solidarity, and resistance,” it says.
Ryan Bos, the Capital Pride Alliance CEO and President, told the Washington Blade the change in dates came after the group conferred with D.C. government officials regarding plans for a number of events in the city on the second weekend in June. Among them, he noted, is a planned White House celebration of President Donald Trump’s 80th birthday and other events related to the U.S. 250th anniversary, which are expected to take place from early June through Independence Day on July 4.
The White House has announced plans for a large June 14, 2026 celebration on the White House south lawn of Trump’s 80th birthday that will include a large-scale Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event involving boxing and wrestling competition.
Bos said the Capital Pride Parade will take place along the same route it has in the past number of years, starting at 14th and T Streets, N.W. and traveling along 14th Street to Pennsylvania Ave., where it will end. He said the festival set for the following day will also take place at its usual location on Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W., between 2nd Street near the U.S. Capitol, to around 7th Street, N.W.
“Our Pride events thrive because of the passion and support of the community,” Capital Pride Board Chair Anna Jinkerson said in the statement. “In 2026, your involvement is more important than ever,” she said.
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