Date: Fri, 10 May 1996 13:32:07 -0500
From: Log Cabin Republicans <logcabin@cais.cais.com>
Subject: LOG CABIN CRITICIZES DOLE ON MARRIAGE BILL

For Immediate Release                                   Contact: David Greer
May 10, 1996                                            (202) 347-5306


DOLE CO-SPONSORSHIP OF ANTI-GAY MARRIAGE LEGISLATION IS TAKING GOP DOWN
DISASTROUS ROAD

Dole repeating mistakes which lead to 1992 GOP loss

(WASHINGTON, D.C.) Trailing President Clinton by a wide margin in recent
polls, likely Republican presidential nominee Robert Dole moved to shore up
far right support yesterday by signing on as the first co-sponsor of the
Senate version of the Defense of Marriage Act.  The anti-gay legislation
bars federal benefits for same-sex couples while allowing states the right
to refuse recognition of such marriages that are recognized in other
states.  "The intolerant wing of the Republican Party  is rearing it's ugly
head again," said Richard Tafel, executive director of Log Cabin
Republicans. "What Dole is missing here is that he already has deep support
among religious conservatives.  There is a growing perception of the GOP
Congress as intolerant, and Dole's action yesterday only enhances such a
view."

The anti-gay legislation, scheduled for a House Judiciary Committee hearing
on Wednesday, May 15, has bipartisan support.  "The sad thing about this is
that Senator Dole is undermining the good things that the GOP Congress has
done, such as reauthorization and increased funding for the Ryan White CARE
Act," said Tafel.  "After Dole returned Log Cabin's contribution last year,
we thought he'd learned that pandering to the far right through gay bashing
doesn't increase your standing, especially in a general election campaign."

"The Democrats become giddy about their chances of taking back the Congress
when they see Republicans ignoring the political center, where the majority
of Americans are ." Tafel continued. "Dole is responding to the lack of
vision and leadership in our party just like President Bush did in 1992.
Going on an anti-gay crusade is no substitute for a vision for the future."

Log Cabin Republicans is the nation's largest gay and lesbian Republican
organization with 54 chapters in 30 states and more than 10,000 members.
Log Cabin Republicans educates the Republican Party on gay and lesbian
issues while working to broaden the base of the GOP.

#####

Log Cabin Republicans
Voice: 202/347-5306               E-mail:    logcabin@cais.com
FAX:   202/347-5224               Home page: http://www.cais.net/logcabin//