Preparing for Onslaught of Attack Ads in Md. 'Fiscal Cliff' Brings Fears Of
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OCTOBER 5 2012 VOLUME 43 ISSUE 40 • OUR COMMUNITY, OUR STORIES SINCE 1969 • WASHINGTONBLADE.COM Preparing for onslaught of attack ads in Md. Marriage opponents to unleash turning up the heat and launching expensive TV ad campaigns to woo voters. campaign with one month to go And both sides are enlisting public fi gures in the fi ght. Just this week Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley By MICHAEL K. LAVERS and D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray joined forces for a pro- [email protected] marriage fundraiser. Meanwhile, Baltimore Ravens center Matt Birk released a video denouncing same- “Our culture today … attacks marriage and a lot of our Catholic One month before the election that will decide sex marriage. values, but marriage is the foundation of our society and is whether Maryland’s marriage equality law will go into defi nitely something worth fi ghting for,” said Baltimore effect or be overturned, advocates on both sides are CONTINUES ON PAGE 20 Ravens center MATT BIRK. ‘Fiscal cliff’ brings fears of Unhinged devastating AIDS cuts In sermon, anti-gay Rev. Harry Jackson says More than 12,000 HIV patients Association, said problems are already emerging because he ‘cursed’ the Blade, care providers aren’t sure what level of funding will triggering ‘09 bankruptcy. could lose access to care next year ultimately be provided. “It really hinders them in hiring staff and making decisions By CHRIS JOHNSON around personnel, around controlling costs of labs and PAGE 6 [email protected] accepting new patients, the hours that they can be open,” Crump said. “It’s going to really start to impact availability Pending across-the-board cuts to federal programs have of services.” advocates concerned that up to 12,200 people living with Estimates for what these cuts would mean for people HIV/AIDS in the United States could lose access to drugs living with HIV/AIDS have varied widely. In a letter dated and programs unless Congress takes action. Sept. 19 to Congress, the AIDS Institute says the reductions The anticipated cuts, set to take effect on Jan. 2, are the to ADAP funding could mean wait lists for drugs would result of the Budget Control Act, legislation President Obama once again be extended and around 9,400 patients would signed last year as part of a compromise to raise the limit on lose access to medication. the nation’s debt ceiling. It would reduce continued funding “This would automatically create wait lists again, and for the U.S. government in 2013 and beyond by cutting an extremely long ones,” Schmid told the Blade. “But it could Dosey Doe estimated 8.2 percent in the fi rst year from discretionary be even more than that, we’re doing some further analysis, federal programs — including HIV/AIDS programs. so some people are saying it’s like 10,000 to 12,000 people D.C.’s Lambda Squares Carl Schmid, deputy executive director of the AIDS removed from the ADAP program if this sequestration celebrating 30 years Institute, said unless Congress acts to institute an goes through.” alternative budget, the level of funding provided would The number is an estimate from the Department of on the dance fl oor with be troublesome because “people wouldn’t be able to get Health & Human Services. In a June 29 letter to Congress, event this weekend. their drugs.” Ellen Murray, HHS assistant secretary for fi nancial resources, “The sequestration wasn’t ever to occur and within writes that “approximately 12,150 fewer patients” would PAGE 31 three months from now, it’s going to take place unless receive benefi ts from the AIDS Drug Assistance Program. Congress acts,” Schmid said. “It would be devastating to A July 25 report from the Senate Health, Education, our programs.” Kimberly Crump, policy offi cer at HIV Medicine CONTINUES ON PAGE 18 02 • OCTOBER 5, 2012 WASHINGTONBLADE.COM WASHINGTONBLADE.COM OCTOBER 5, 2012 • 03 washingtonblade.com 04 • OCTOBER 5, 2012 LOCAL NEWS A gay kickball league is among the groups that make use of Stead Park. WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY D.C.’s Eagle is being forced to relocate to make way for a new offi ce building on New York Avenue. fi eld with re-sodding, enhanced fencing, added benches and upgraded lighting,” WASHINGTON BLADE FILE PHOTO BY MICHAEL KEY Espinoza states in the petition. Gay ANC Commissioner Jack Jacobson, who’s giving up his ANC seat to run for the Ward 2 D.C. school board seat, has expressed support for what he says is the park renovation proposal’s goal of expanding the number of people who use the park. D.C. Eagle in search of new home “I’m a member of the community,” Jacobson told the Blade. “I pay taxes. I don’t play kickball and I don’t play basketball. But I would rent a community garden plot or maybe The D.C. Eagle, one of the oldest gay bars in the city, continues to search for a utilize an amphitheater or picnic tables or a number of other things that don’t exist right new building in advance of a Nov. 30 deadline to vacate its current location at 639 now,” he said. New York Ave., N.W., to make way for a new offi ce building. Adding more amenities to the park than just sports fi elds would benefi t a greater Eagle manager Ted Clements said the bar plans to hold a closing party on Nov. number of people in the community, Jacobson and others supporting the renovation 25, with the hope that the popular establishment will have lined up a new location proposal have said. shortly before or after that date. Espinoza told the Blade retaining the current size of the sports fi eld would not prevent “We’re trying to fi nd a building,” he told the Blade. “This will be the fourth other park improvements. The D.C. Department of Parks and Recreation is expected to location. We keep getting pushed around from the development in this area. make the fi nal decision on any signifi cant changes for the park. We’ve been in a four-block radius for the past 40 years.” LOU CHIBBARO JR. The Douglas Development Corporation, one of the city’s largest real estate developers, has announced plans to build a new high-rise offi ce building with retail businesses on the 600 block of New York Ave., N.W., where the Eagle and Lesbians’ lawsuit against police goes to mediation other businesses are now located. The site is one block away from the Washington Convention Center. D.C. government attorneys attended a court-ordered mediation session on Sept. 27 Clements pointed to Douglas Development’s announced plans to move the with lawyers representing two lesbian police offi cers who sued the city in 2011 on grounds Eagle building to another location on the site of the new development to keep its of anti-gay discrimination on the job. façade and structure intact because it has historic status. Metropolitan Police Department Det. Kennis M. Weeks and Offi cer Tonia L. Jones With the Eagle having occupied the building for 25 years, its preservation and charged in a 38-page complaint that they were subjected to discrimination, harassment incorporation into the new development is likely to be viewed by some of its and retaliation based on their sexual orientation and gender since September 2006. longtime customers as a tribute to the Eagle’s place in D.C.’s LGBT community. The two charge in the lawsuit that the discrimination began in 2006 when they disclosed to “They’re going to jack it up, move it, dig out for a parking garage, then cut off fellow offi cers that they were in a same-sex relationship. The lawsuit charges that at least seven the back by 30 feet and put it back somewhere on the block and build a high rise sergeants, two lieutenants, and three offi cers from the Seventh – including Seventh District in the center of the block,” he said. “I talked to the architect.” Commander Joel Maupin – played some role in carrying out the alleged discrimination. According to Clements, greater restrictions the city has placed on licensing and “The parties may submit confi dential settlement statements in advance of the mediation but zoning requirements for bars in the years since the Eagle fi rst opened in the early such statements are not required, and in most cases, they are unnecessary,” said U.S. District 1970s has made it diffi cult to fi nd a new building. Court Judge Magistrate Alan Kay in an order calling on the two sides to enter mediation. Asked whether the bar is likely to fi nd a new location before it vacates its current Spokespersons for the police and the D.C. Attorney General’s offi ce, which represents building, Clements said, “We don’t know yet…It’s getting harder and harder to city agencies in lawsuits, said they could not comment on pending litigation. fi nd a place. It’s a lot of red tape to do business in D.C. now.” Cathy Harris, an attorney representing Kennis and Jones, said she was hopeful that LOU CHIBBARO JR. city attorneys would make a sincere and “realistic” settlement offer that recognizes what she said was the unfair and discriminatory treatment her clients received by fellow police offi cers and supervisors. LOU CHIBBARO JR. Concern over Stead Park renovation plan History group honors LGBT ‘pioneers’ The co-founder of the local gay group Stonewall Sports is circulating a petition The Rainbow History Project on Thursday was scheduled to honor more than a dozen opposing a proposal to renovate the Dupont Circle area’s Stead Park in a way that the local and national LGBT activists.