News
Carney fires back at Boehner over ENDA
Despite resistance in House, Carney says enough votes to pass LGBT anti-bias bill
White House Press Secretary, Jay Carney says the votes are present in the House to pass ENDA (Washington Blade file photo by Damien Salas).
White House Press Secretary Jay Carney fired back Friday at House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) for comments he made against the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, but maintained that President Obama will continue the legislative track for non-discrimination protections for LGBT workers as opposed to an executive order.
Under questioning from the Washington Blade on whether President Obama would reconsider the heavily sought directive in the wake of Boehner’s comments, Carney said the speaker’s comments in opposition to ENDA of course, are “of course, disappointing.”
“I think that those who oppose this legislation are taking the wrong position, and they’re taking a position that, I think, history will prove to be wrong as has been the case in seminal civil rights legislation throughout our history in this country,” Carney said. “Basic equality is fundamental to who we are as a nation, and our history is, in part, a story of efforts and struggles to reach that ideal where equality is not only an aspiration, but a fact. The Employment Non-Discrimination Act is a piece of that story, and it ought to be passed by Congress, passed by the House as it was by the Senate because this president will it into law.”
Carney was responding to remarks that Boehner gave during his weekly news conference in which he said he sees “no basis or no need” for ENDA, which would bar employers from discriminating against LGBT employees, when by the Blade if he would allow a floor vote on the bill.
Additionally, Carney also said the White House is among the supporters of ENDA who think that the legislation would pass on the House floor if Republican leadership bring it up for a vote.
“We are not at all yet to ready to believe that the fight is over in the House because it is the president’s strong conviction that this is right thing to do, and that the arguments against it do not hold up to scrutiny or the test of history, so we’re going to keep fighting for the House to take it up and urging the House to take it up,” Carney said. “We believe that if it were given a vote on the floor that it would pass, and that Democrats and Republicans would vote ‘yes’ and the president would sign it into law, and we believe, as you and I have discussed over these past many months and years, that that is the best solution here, and we’re continue to fight for it.”
By saying the White House believes ENDA has the votes to pass if he reached the House floor, Carney positions himself with Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.), Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.), House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and the Human Rights Campaign.
Asked by the Blade whether Obama would at least threaten to issue the executive order if House Republican leadership continues to hold up ENDA, Carney maintained the focus of the White House is on legislation.
“I think that we’re focused on getting this legislation passed right now, Chris, and for the reasons I just discussed, we believe that resistance to it will eventually fall away because the rightness of it will prevail,” Carney said.
Watch the video here:
Maryland
‘Girlfriends’ wanted for murder in Silver Spring, Md.
Montgomery County police say two charged with killing mother of one of them
The Montgomery County, Md., Department of Police announced on June 4 that it is seeking the public’s help in locating two women, who they identify as a couple, who are charged with first-degree murder for allegedly killing the mother of one of them.
In a statement police identified the two women as Vanessa Tjongarero-Henderson of Clarksburg, Md., and her girlfriend Samantha Raebel of Phoenix, Ariz. The statement says the two are charged with the murder of Hilde Henderson, 67, the mother of Vanessa.
According to the statement, officers with the department’s 3rd District found Hilde Henderson deceased on Tuesday, May 26, 2026, at her home at the Charter House apartments in the 1300 block of Fenwick Lane in Silver Spring after being called to check on the resident’s welfare.
“Henderson was transported to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, where an autopsy was conducted,” the statement says. “The cause of death was ruled a homicide.”
It adds, “Through the course of the investigation, detectives identified Henderson’s daughter, Vanessa Tjongarero-Henderson and Vanessa’s girlfriend, Raeble, as the suspects.” It says detectives obtained an arrest warrant against the two women, charging both with first-degree murder.
“Anyone with information regarding the location of these suspects or this crime is asked to call 911 or to visit the Crime Solvers of Montgomery County, Md. website at crimesolversmcmd.org,” the statement says, or to call the tip line at 1-866-411-8477.
“Tips with information leading to an arrest may be eligible for a reward from $250 up to $10,000,” it says, adding that tips may remain anonymous.
A spokesperson for Montgomery County police didn’t immediately respond to a request from the Washington Blade for information not disclosed in the police statement, including the physical-medical cause of death for Hilde Henderson and whether detectives have determined a motive for the murder.
National
Madonna turns Times Square into massive dance floor
Pop icon celebrates Pride month with surprise performance
Pop icon Madonna celebrated Pride month with a pop-up performance in New York City’s Times Square on Thursday to the delight of 50,000 fans.
She performed for about 15 minutes high above street level, including several songs from her new album “Confessions II” due on July 3, along with a trio of songs from the first “Confessions on a Dance Floor.”
In addition to the brand new “Love Sensation,” she performed “I Feel So Free” and “Bring Your Love,” plus “Hung Up,” “Get Together” and “I Love New York.” She wished the crowd a happy Pride season; the event was shared with audiences through Grindr’s first-ever livestream.
The Washington Blade this week welcomed Emma LaPointe as its summer intern.
Emma is studying journalism, political science, and German studies at the University of Arizona. She is from Tucson, Ariz., and is interning with the Blade as part of a continued partnership with the Washington Center.
“I am super excited to spend my summer with the Washington Blade and to learn more about D.C.,” said Emma. “I have loved reporting on the LGBTQ+ community back in Tucson, and I am excited to continue the work here.”
Emma’s internship will end on July 31.
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