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Log Cabin Asks for Answer to Gay GOP Congressman's Question - "Should Dole's Gay Staff Resign?"

September 6, 1995

(Washington, D.C.) Congressman Steve Gunderson (R-WI), a long-time supporter of Senator Bob Dole (R-KS), fired off a critical letter today questioning the Senator's recent return of a Log Cabin Republicans PAC check.

In the letter, Gunderson pointedly asks: "Are you rejecting the support of anyone who happens to be gay? If this is so, do you intend to now reject my support and request those on your staff who happen to be gay to resign?"

"We appreciate Congressman Gunderson's support," said Richard Tafel, executive director of Log Cabin Republicans. "He has asked the question publicly that everyone in Washington has been asking privately since the Dole campaign returned our check. And it is a question that deserves a straight-forward response from not only Senator Dole but Senator Phil Gramm, who has also bowed to far right anti-gay campaign tactics."

"It gets to a core question of this campaign  – who is Bob Dole? Is he the Senator who has worked well with our organization on the Ryan White Care Act, who signed a non-discrimination policy for hiring gays on his staff, and who has always treated his gay staffers with respect?" asked Tafel. "Or is this Candidate Dole who will deny he sought our support for his campaign, reject any gay money, and ask gay staffers to resign for fear of criticism from people on the far right, like Gary Bauer?"