LGBT advocates like Human Rights Campaign (HRC) and Army Military Partner Association (AMPA) are organizing to block the confirmation of Tennessee state senator Mark Green as President Trump’s next Army Secretary.
In what appears to be a coordinated media campaign, several news outlets are reporting Green’s policy positions and record on so-called LGBT issues are “deeply concerning.”
Friday, the New York Times reported:
A Tennessee state senator who has criticized federal attempts to bar discrimination against gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in workplaces and businesses was nominated on Friday to be President Trump’s next secretary of the Army.
After a brief bio, the Times quoted from a blog post by AMPA:
On Tuesday, the American Military Partner Association, the largest organization of L.G.B.T. military families, accused Mr. Green of making “a shameful political career out of targeting L.G.B.T. people for discrimination.”
Monday, TheHill.com published:
LGBT groups are raising pressure on President Trump’s nominee for Army secretary, just three days after the pick became official, and are vowing a fight.
Trump “couldn’t have picked a worse nominee to pick a fight with Congress,” David Stacy, government affairs director at the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), said Monday.
Tuesday morning, the Washington post reported:
Officials with the Human Rights Campaign and the American Military Partners Association said in a joint conference call with journalists Monday that Green’s views are radical and outdated, and that they are rallying support against him. Stephen Peters, the national press secretary for Human Rights Campaign, said he found it “appalling” that Green was selected, and found him to be an unacceptable choice. Green has “gone out of his way” to target LGBT people, he said.
Tennesseans know Mark Green – a medical doctor, West Point graduate, and a career military veteran with a distinguished record of service – to be a staunch advocate for limited government, strong borders, and fiscal responsibility. Before being tapped for the Army Secretary position, Green was strongly considering a run for Governor. He opposes the Haslam Gas Tax hike and sanctuary city policies like Nashville’s Mayor Megan Barry support.
