And out the door went his pro-family principles. This week the homosexual newspaper Bay Windows bragged just how far Lynch has "evolved".
It's actually MUCH worse than we had thought. As Bay Windows reports:
Since his election to the position in 2001, incumbent Rep. Stephen Lynch has made strides in his support for and understanding of LGBT issues, thanks in part to a friendship with openly gay Rep. Barney Frank, as well as close ties with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC)...
A 2003 profile by then Bay Windows Editor-in-chief Laura Kiritsy examined the Congressman's transformation from supporter of a "gay panic" defense for those accused of hate crimes, to a champion of LGBT rights. Lynch, however, denies that he was ever opposed to LGBT equality. "I think it was only in election processes that my opponents tried to paint me as being anti-gay," he said in a phone interview this week.
Shortly after his election in 2001, Kiritsy wrote, Lynch met with the HRC for the first time to learn more about LGBT issues. The South Boston native earned a 100 percent rating on the HRC's [Human Rights Campaign's] congressional scorecard for his first session in Washington and told Kiritsy, "I think my relationship with the gay community has evolved in a very positive way," thanks, in part, to his friendships with openly gay Representative Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and openly lesbian Representative Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.).
"They've been great with me, and it's nice to have their support," he said to Bay Windows of Baldwin and Frank. "Both of those lawmakers are pretty busy [however], so that's where the HRC comes in. ...[The HRC has] been very good as a resource for me in dealing with LGBT issues."
In offering the organization's endorsement to the Congressman, HRC President Joe Solmonese wrote, "We at HRC know that you will represent all of the people of your District, including the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, with distinction and honor. With the many challenges facing the LGBT community, we're very pleased to count you as an ally in standing up for issues of fairness." The letter thanked Lynch for his work on a repeal of DADT, as well as his work in support of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. "[W]e applaud your commitment to fundamental equal rights for all," Solmonese wrote, and said he is looking forward to continuing their work together.
When asked by this reporter whether or not he supports the Transgender Civil Rights Act, Representative Lynch admitted that he hadn't heard of it, and wouldn't be able to comment until he learned more. "We've been very supportive on this end of everything that's come down, that's been filed here in Washington on a federal level," he said, pointing out his support for a trans-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA).
The Congressman admits that his LGBT forte lies with federal efforts toward equality, and did not campaign at Boston Pride 2010.
Lynch made headlines in March of this year as a supporter of legal recognition of same-sex marriage in Washington, D.C. Despite pressure from House Republicans, the chairman of the House Committee with oversight over the District of Columbia chose not to get involved. "The District should be allowed to make those deep and personal decisions on their own," he said this week. "[The D.C. Council] considered it a real victory, and I know that the local gay and lesbian community here was very, very supportive of it."
Lynch believes his record on LGBT issues is strong enough to speak for itself. Of the Ninth District's queer community, he told Bay Windows, "I've been a champion of their causes. I've been an open door to them. ...I would accept their judgment of me, and I think it's very, very favorable."
Read entire article HERE
This year Lynch has a Democrat challenger in the primary and a Republican challenger in the general election. Let's hope his constituents make the right choice this time.
