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About Just out. (Portland, OR) 1983-2013 | View Entire Issue (June 18, 1999)
¡una 14 H ip , H ip , H ormel ! Loophole allows Clinton to slip James Hormel into long-vacant Luxembourg ambassadorial post by Bob Roehr 19 U s e Y our C o m p le te d T ax F o rm s T o S ta rt A S o lid F in a n c ia l P lan . Chances are you’ve already done the majority o f the work needed to start a sound financial plan for the future. I can help you do the rest. J ames Hormel’s long wait to become U.S. ambassador to Luxembourg finally came to an end June 4, when President Clinton installed Hormel to the post via a “recess appointment.” The action makes Hormel the first openly gay or lesbian person appointed ambassador. The recess procedure allows a president to appoint a nominee when Congress is not in ses sion and allows that person to serve through the remainder of that session of Congress. Hormel will he able to serve until Jan. 3, gay-identified group. He notes that a number of Republican senators— including Oregon’s Gor don Smith— publicly supported Hormel’s nomi nation for some time. Not surprisingly, some from the conservative realm were upset by Clinton’s move. The Fami ly Research Council issued a statement saying the appointment proves that “Clinton puts pol itics before principle." Lott spokesman John Czwartacki dubbed the appointment “a slap in the face to Catholics every where,” citing Lott’s con 2001 . cern about Hormel’s sup Clinton has . made 57 port for groups critical of recess appointments during the Catholic Church. his six and a half years in Sen. James Inhofe, a office. That is fewer than conservative Republican George Bush’s 80 or J immy from Oklahoma, is threat Carter’s 70 during their ening to hold up “every four-year terms, and single presidential nomina Ronald Reagan’s 270 ap tion” to protest the pointments over eight appointment. years. Several nominations "This fight never was about are currently before the The 6 5-year-old Hor mel, a San Francisco phil trying to get the first openly Senate, including that of anthropist, is heir to the Lawrence Summers to he Spam meatpacking for treasury secretary. gay ambassador. tune. He is also a major “President Clinton has This always has been about donor to Democratic shown contempt for the politicians. Congress and the Consti making sure that anti-gay tution,” Inhofe asserts. Hormel was nominated bias was not a barrier to “The president has forfeit to he ambassador in 1997. ed the presumption of He received a favorable good people doing cooperation on any re hearing from the Senate maining appointments he Foreign Relations C om public service for wants to make while in mittee chaired by Jesse their country." office.” Helms, a conservative According to an Asso Republican senator from ciated Press report, Inhofe North Carolina. — David Smith, said he was acting on a The nomination stalled Human Rights Campaign precedent set by Sen. in the Senate, however, when four members initiat spokesman Robert Byrd, a West Vir ginia Democrat, who in ed a procedural hold, lest 1985 placed holds on Rea he promote a “gay agenda” gan’s appointments until Reagan agreed to in Luxembourg. Senate Majority Leader Trent refrain from making recess appointments. Lott did not take action to override the hold, Though Lott wasn’t pleased by the appoint and the nomination died in the last Congress. ment, he told reporters it wasn’t his “inclina Clinton renominated Hormel to the post tion” to allow any one senator to single-handed earlier this year, but the hold was revived as ly block every nomination. well. Observers have long believed that Hormel Still, he said, Ifihofe had the right to use not only had the majority of votes necessary for delaying tactics to slow down nominations on a approval hut also the 60 votes necessary to cut case-by-case basis— tactics that can he over off a possible filibuster over the nomination. come only by a 60-vote majority in the 100- “It came down to a couple of senators who member Senate. thought that he shouldn’t be ambassador To that, White House spokesman Barry Toiv because he’s gay," says White House spokesman Joe Lockhart. “And the president thinks that’s said: “It’s hard to think that the Senate would allow itself to be blocked from fulfilling its con wrong and discriminatory and that’s why he stitutional responsibility because one member is moved ahead with the recess appointment.” upset because of a political appointment." David Smith, spokesman for the Human Elizabeth Birch, H RC’s executive director, Rights Campaign, adds: “This fight never was about trying to get the first openly gay ambas commented: “Inhofe’s temper tantrum is an embarrassment and indicative of the thinly sador. This always has been about making sure that anti-gay bias was not a barrier to good peo veiled anti-gay discrimination that kept James Hormel from getting confirmed. The Senate’s ple doing public service for their country. role in the confirmation process is to advise and Sen. Diane Feinstein, D-Calif., calls the consent. The framers of the Constitution never action “long overdue,” pointing out that Clin saw the process as a means in which to derail ton could have made the move during earlier qualified nominees based on prejudice. Further congressional recesses. She describes the refusal more, Senator Inhofe does not seem to under to vote on the nomination as "a black spot on stand that there isn’t a constitutional right to the U.S. Senate.” “A recess appointment is fair and will hope place a hold on nominations.” Hormel will present his credentials to the fully be the end of this conflict,” says Rich Tafel, government of Luxembourg this summer. executive director of Log Cabin Republicans, a Simply provide me with your financial goals, along with your current tax information, and we’ll create a plan to help you get there. Whether it’s planing for college, retirement savings, investments, life insurance or IRAs, I’ll explain all the options. Don’t let another year go by. Call today, and make an appointment to invest in your future. WADDELL f, S' “ 1999 President's Council Member" Financial Services The people with a plan fo r you. 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