Date: Tue, 31 Jan 1995 20:39:20 -0500 From: Chris Hagin To: Multiple recipients of list GLB-NEWS Subject: New York A.G. Removes Gays from Discrimination List COMPILED FROM WIRE SERVICE DISPATCHES Date: Tue, 31 Jan 1995 Attorney General Removes Sexual Orientation From Discrimination List ALBANY, N.Y. -- New York's attorney general, criticized for the campaign he ran against a lesbian last year, has removed sexual orientation from a list of categories that merit protection from discrimination in his office. Attorney General Dennis Vacco issued an order to his staff not to discriminate in hiring on the basis of age, race, creed, color, nationality, disability or marital status, spokesman Chris McKenna said. But while Vacco's Democratic predecessors, G. Oliver Koppell and Robert Abrams, added sexual orientation, Vacco took it out. Vacco's order is identical to wording contained in state human rights law, McKenna said. He said Vacco doesn't care whether his employees are gay but wants to make sure his office's employment practices are consistent with state law. Vacco, a Republican, defeated Democrat Karen Burstein on Nov. 8. During the campaign, Vacco was criticized by gay groups for not denouncing Staten Island Borough President Guy Molinari when he said a lesbian shouldn't be attorney general, and for reminding voters about Burstein's sexual orientation. Assemblywoman Deborah Glick, the Legislature's only openly homosexual member, called the decision ``despicable but not surprising.'' McKenna said Vacco feels sexual orientation is a ``personal, private issue that has nothing to do with a person's employment.'' S. CHRISTOPHER HAGIN | The Pledge of Allegance says: Atlanta 1996 | "With liberty and justice for ALL" chagin@mindspring.com | What part of ALL do you not understand? HATE IS NOT A FAMILY VALUE