Maverick McCain will not support the gay community

In a conference call today, the Human Rights Campaign spoke about Senator John McCain’s (R-Ariz.) record of opposing the interests of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (GLBT) Americans. While McCain touts himself as a maverick and independent, a uniter not a divider, his record with the GLBT community shows that he will be a strong opponent of their issues, said David Smith, vice president for HRC.

McCain has promised to act and vote against civil rights for GLBT’s in the community at home and at work, said Lara Schwartz HRC legal director. McCain has said in no uncertain terms that he opposes same sex marriage, supports the defensive marriage act, and opposes same sex partners adopting children, according to Schwartz. Many concerns of the HRC are about working discrimination, and John McCain opposed the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which prohibits employment discrimination on employees based on sexual oreintation.

Kyrsten Sinema, an Arizona State legislator, said that McCain has shifted his views and in 1994 stated support of the gay community but has back away from that stance. In 2006, McCain was the face of a campaign using television commercials and mailing pamphlets to ban same sex marriage from the Arizona state constitution, which refused minimal legal protection like health benefits and rights to visit in hospitals from the gay community. All in all, McCain would not be supportive of the civil rights of the GLBT, despite his claim of being independent, said Sinema. (12:01)
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