| HRC on selection of Mel Martinez as RNC chairman
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PageOneQ
 The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest LGBT organization, has released the following statement following the selection of Sen. Mel Martinez (R0-L) as the Republican National Committee's chairman.
“Senator Martinez was elected in 2004 by taking page one out of Karl Rove’s gay baiting playbook. His campaign was one of the most anti-gay, bigoted and divisive campaigns in the nation’s history. We are deeply troubled that this kind of Senator has been chosen to lead the Republican Party.
“For him to be tapped as the head of the Republican Party sends yet another message to our community and the country that the Republican leadership is continuing their old ways of rewarding slash and burn politics instead of being interested in uniting the country.”
Senator Mel Martinez’s (R-FL) record on equality and fairness:
Scored a zero on the Human Rights Campaign 2006 scorecard measuring support for equality and fairness in the 109th Congress.
An ardent supporter and co-sponsor of the Federal Marriage Amendment. Martinez has been on the record opposing Republican Senator John McCain’s states-rights stance on the issue saying, “it isn't good enough to say, 'Leave it up to the states. If we leave it up to the states we will see the erosion of marriage that we've seen by activist courts, which we otherwise will not see if we protect the institution of marriage at the federal level.”
Attacked his 2004 Republican primary opponent for supporting hate crimes legislation accusing him of catering to the, “radical homosexual lobby.”
Ran a 2004 campaign that was so anti-gay and divisive that Florida’s Republican Governor, Jeb Bush, called on him to stop the attacks. Also because of his anti-gay tactics, the St. Petersburg Times revoked their endorsement after Menendez sent a mailer against his opponent calling him, “the new darling of the homosexual extremists.”
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Originally published on Monday November 13, 2006.
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