In Brief

Staff Reports

Republican Jim DeMint opposes nomination of Mari Carmen Aponte as permanent U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador

U.S. Ambassador Mari Carmen Aponte

WASHINGTON -- South Carolina Republican Senator Jim DeMint continues to oppose President Barack Obama's choice of Mari Carmen Aponte as permanent U.S. Ambassador to El Salvador. Aponte, who is a member of the Puerto Rican Bar Association, was originally nominated by the president in 2009, her nomination running into obstructionist Republican Senators who used Senate procedures to escape voting on numerous diplomatic candidates put forward by the White House. During the 2009 hearings, DeMint had led the charge to disqualify Aponte including leveling a charge that the lawyer was a communist infiltrator.

The President- faced with Republican intransigence- elected to make interim appointments after Congress had adjourned for a break last summer. Among those who were selected for a recess appointment last August of 2010 was Aponte. Under the terms of federal law governing recess appointments by use of presidential powers, while able to serve as diplomats, the appointees eventually do face confirmation hearings at the end of the next calendar year from the date in which they were appointed.

In a Senate Foreign Relation Committee confirmation hearing last week regarding her appointment as the permanent ambassador to lead the U. S. mission in El Salvador, Senator DeMint sharply criticised an opinion column titled "For an end to prejudice, wherever it exists" Ambassador Aponte wrote last June in the Salvadoran paper La Prensa Gráfica, calling it an attempt to impose a "pro-homosexual" agenda in El Salvador.

Political pundits on Capitol Hill noted that there was not anything contained in the text authored by the Ambassador that would have referred to any intent by the U. S. government to intervene directly in the culture, tradition and values of El Salvador. However they said, speaking on background, given the Senator's stand on policy issues pertaining to LGBTQ equality rights, it came as no shock to observers he would attack the ambassador. DeMint has publicly stated that gays, single mothers, heterosexuals in civil unions as well as sexually active persons should not be hired as school educators. DeMint also has stated if government does not have the authority or the legal tools to restrict homosexuality, it also should not be promoted through the legalisation of same-sex marriage.

In the hearing DeMint said,

[...] "I would like to ask unanimous consent to submit for the record an opinion piece published in El Salvador by Ambassador Aponte in June of this year. In her OpEd, Ms. Aponte, presuming to represent the view of all Americans, in strongly promoting the homosexual lifestyle, wrote that "everyone has the responsibility to inform our neighbors and friends about what it means to be lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender." The OpEd upset a large number of community and pro-family groups in El Salvador who were insulted by Ms. Aponte's attempt to impose a pro-gay agenda in their country.

I would also like to ask unanimous consent to submit, for the record, a response to the OpEd from a coalition of more than three dozen groups and a letter from Salvadorean groups to the United States Senate asking the Senate to oppose Ms. Aponte's confirmation and I quote "We respectfully request that Ms. Aponte be removed from her post as soon as possible so that El Salvador may enjoy the benefits of having a person as a government representative of your noble country."

I would like to apologize to the Salvadorean people on behalf of the United States and reassure them that most Americans share their values. Ms. Aponte's personal, professional and political contact over many years raises numerous questions of judgement. I will vote 'no on Ms. Aponte's confirmation and strongly recommend my colleagues do the same."

Aponte, who was present at the hearing, defended herself against Senator DeMint's accusations saying; "The OpEd reflects the policies of the Obama administration, the Salvadorean government and sixty-three other countries," she said to La Prensa, "It was not drafted as an insult to anyone." Aponte reminded the committee that she has written a regular opinion column for the paper and that she had written on LGBT issues specifically from a human rights viewpoint.

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has been a strong advocate for LGBTQ equality rights, praising members of the U.S. diplomatic corps in a June 27th speech saluting their work on promoting respect for LGBT communities throughout the world.

"There is the tremendous work that our diplomats have been doing in regional and international institutions to strengthen a shared consensus about how governments should treat their citizens. And we’ve made the message very consistent and of a high priority. All people’s rights and dignity must be protected whatever their sexual orientation or gender identity."

As an recess appointee, Aponte must be confirmed by the U.S. Senate before the end of this year to be able to keep her post as U. S. Ambassador. Senator DeMint is again leading the effort to derail her confirmation by questioning Aponte's strong support for the protection of LGBT communities in El Salvador.

Supreme Court declines to block the release of the names on Washington State's Referendum 71 petitions

WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Supreme Court has refused to block release of names of those who signed petitions for Washington State's Referendum 71, the unsuccessful legal challenge to the state’s “everything but marriage” rights for same-sex couples. The legal challenge was brought by the anti-gay group Protect Marriage Washington who had argued that release would put any of the petition's signers at risk for harassment.

Katie Blinn, co-director of state elections in the office of Secretary of State Sam Reed told the Seattle PI newspaper, “This means we can once again release these public records."

When Referendum 71 passed in 2009, Washington became the first state to endorse domestic partnership rights for same-sex couples in a statewide vote of the people.

According to the Seattle paper the case- Doe v. Reed- has traversed through federal court system in an seemingly endless round of rulings and challenges. The Supreme Court had stated in an earlier 8-1 decision, that signatures on initiative petitions should be a matter of public record.

The Supremes sent the case back to U.S. District Court Judge Benjamin Settle in Tacoma. Settle has ruled that sponsors of the anti-gay measure did not prove that they have been harassed — or would face harassment — if named on the Ref. 71 petitions were released.

Several plaintiffs seeking to block release of the names — e.g. Rev. Ken Hutcherson, Faith and Freedom leader Gary Randall and State Sen. Val Stevens — are longtime public leaders and advocates in opposition to marriage equality.

The group Protect Marriage Washington had asked that release of names be blocked until the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals hears an appeal of Judge Settle’s ruling. Settle, the 9th Circuit and the Supreme Court have now rejected the group’s request.

Secretary of State Reed is a longtime advocate for releasing the names. He has argued that signing an initiative petition is equivalent to a lawmaker sponsoring legislation. He has pointed out that, with one exception, all states with initiative and referendum laws provide for the release of signatures.

Reed received an eloquent boost in an opinion by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia in the court’s earlier ruling.

“There are laws against threats and intimidation; and harsh criticism, short of unlawful action, is the price our people have traditionally been willing to pay for self-governance. Requiring people to stand up in public for their political acts fosters civic courage, without which democracy is doomed.” ~ Seattle PI