Gay Justice Department group won't hold pride event at DOJ
From Kevin Bohn
CNN Washington Bureau
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Attorney General John Ashcroft
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WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A group representing gay and lesbian employees at the Justice Department has decided not to hold an event marking Gay Pride Month inside a department auditorium, but instead will hold a ceremony on Capitol Hill Friday, a spokesman said Wednesday.
In a statement, DOJ Pride said it had been accorded "second-class status" in its dealings with department officials. That characterization has been disputed by the department.
According to the group, department officials told DOJ Pride earlier this month that it could not hold an event inside the Great Hall of the Justice Department because President Bush had not signed a declaration marking June as Gay Pride Month.
Last week, Justice officials said the event could take place in the auditorium. However, because it would not receive official sponsorship, the group would have to pick up any costs associated with the event.
DOJ Pride officials said the cost would be more than $1,000, and they said other Justice Department employee associations do not have to pay when sponsoring events.
"The DOJ Pride Board has declined the department's offer of second-class status. We cannot and will not be complicit in the message that our membership ... must pay a toll to access the Great Hall of Justice," said Marina Colby, DOJ Pride's president, in a statement.
Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-New Jersey, invited the group to host its celebration on Capitol Hill after the Justice Department had said the event could not happen in the auditorium.
"Justice at the Department of Justice isn't blind when it comes to the rights of its own gay and lesbian employees," Lautenberg said in a statement.
There is no uniform policy across various federal agencies about hosting Gay Pride events.
