Date: Thu, 3 Jun 1999 12:42:29 -0500
From: Kevin Ivers <kivers@lcr.org>
Subject: ROBERTSON BANK DEAL UNRAVELING

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE	CONTACT: Kevin Ivers
June 3, 1999			(202) 347-5306 x12

PAT ROBERTSON BANK DEAL UNRAVELING

BoS Chief Exec Flies Urgently to U.S. For "Showdown"After
Robertson Defames Scotland on "700 Club" Television Show

Financially Struggling Christian Coalition Undergoes Another Major Shake-Up

(WASHINGTON) The far-right political empire of televangelist Pat Robertson
is facing a stunning blow as, under pressure from an international campaign
by Equality Scotland, a Scottish gay rights organization, and Log Cabin
Republicans, a U.S.-based gay organization, a lucrative multi-million
dollar deal with the Bank of Scotland is reportedly unraveling as a result
of his own words.

"We have been working with Equality Scotland for months to inform the
public and the Bank of Scotland about who this man really is, but hand it
to Pat Robertson to finish the job for us," said Kevin Ivers, director of
public affairs for Log Cabin Republicans.  "It's another classic example of
giving someone enough rope to hang himself, and Pat Robertson always has
the last word on his extreme political views."

Since March 8, shortly after a multi-million dollar investment by the Bank
in a Robertson bank venture in the United States was announced, Equality
Scotland and LCR have conducted an international media campaign to inform
the Bank of Scotland and the Scottish and American public that the venture
would be financing Robertson's anti-gay political agenda in the United
Staes.  The effort spurred a boycott of the Bank of Scotland in Great
Britain.

But bank officials stood by Robertson for months as millions of pounds and
over 500 corporate and personal accounts were cancelled.  But when Equality
Scotland and LCR spread word that a May 18 broadcast of Robertson's "700
Club" television program attacked the moral character of Scotland, with
Robertson calling Scotland a "rather dark land," the deal began to unravel
quickly.  The Edinburgh Scotsman reported today that Peter Burt, Bank of
Scotland chief executive officer, flew urgently to the United States to
meet with Robertson tomorrow for what the paper called a "showdown."

On the "700 Club" broadcast, Robertson said European attitudes of tolerance
had encouraged homosexuality, particularly "in Scotland, where you can't
believe how strong the homosexuals are."  Robertson painted a picture of
Scotland as a nation in decline which "could go right back to the darkness
very easily".

After the publicizing of Robertson's television remarks, Bank of Scotland
shares fell 4% on the London FTSE yesterday.  Political leaders in the
Scottish National Parliament jumped into the issue immediately.  Several
SNP members announced work on a measure to close Parliament's £55 million
account with Bank of Scotland, while the leaders of the Labour, Liberal
Democrat and Tory parties all condemned Robertson's comments.

David McLetchie, the Scottish Tory leader, told the Scotsman that the Bank
"should tell Mr. Robertson to reflect on the damage this has done to the
reputation of his business partner back home. This affair has been damaging
to the Bank of Scotland's reputation in Scotland."

The financial turmoil followed on the heels of the announcement that
Robertson had eliminated the position of Christian Coalition Executive
Director Randy Tate, and moved Tate out of the political organization's
Chesapeake, Virginia headquarters to the group's lobbying office in
Washington, D.C., another in a series of shake-ups at the financially
struggling organization.  Tate's departure from headquarters capped off the
flight of the organization's entire senior leadership under Robertson, some
of whom, like field director Chuck Cunningham, citing the group's lack of
resources.

"It took the people of Scotland a very short time to see the light about
Pat Robertson," said Rich Tafel, executive director of LCR.  "How long will
it take some elements of the Republican Party to realize that this man is
politically deadly?  Will it take a similar public humiliation for the GOP
to learn that pandering to him and giving him a platform is seriously
damaging the party?"

Log Cabin Republicans is the nation's largest gay Republican organization,
with state and local chapters nationwide, a federal political action
committee and a national office headquartered in Washington, D.C.

####

Log Cabin Republicans		Kevin Ivers
(202) 347-5306 phone		Director of Public Affairs
(202) 347-5224 fax			http://www.lcr.org