Dallas Voice

LGBT advocates clash with City Council members over equality resolution

Posted on 12 Jun 2013 at 12:15pm

LGBT activists turn their backs and walk out a Dallas City Council meeting Wednesday during remarks from Councilman Dwaine caraway about the equality resolution. (Anna Waugh/Dallas Voice)

LGBT activists turn their backs and walk out of a Dallas City Council meeting Wednesday during remarks from Councilman Dwaine Caraway about the equality resolution. (Anna Waugh/Dallas Voice)

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Activist Cd Kirven yells at Councilman Dwaine Caraway before leaving the meeting. (Patrick Hoffman/Dallas Voice)

LGBT advocates expressed their frustration over the lack of support for an equality resolution Wednesday morning at a Dallas City Council meeting.

Mayor Mike Rawlings was absent during the meeting, though he was not considered absent while in South America last week, preventing Mayor Pro Tem Pauline Medrano from using her power as acting mayor to place the equality resolution on the agenda.

The resolution supporting marriage equality and statewide LGBT-inclusive workplace protections, authored by Councilman Scott Griggs, was slated to be voted on Wednesday but never made the agenda after Councilmember Delia Jasso surprisingly withdrew her signature from a memo last month to require a vote. Jasso remained silent during the meeting. During the accusations from council members that the method of bringing the measure forward was misguided, Griggs also remained silent.

Tensions ran high after speakers addressed the council, resulting in several audience members walking out, turning their backs on Councilman Dwaine Caraway and even shouting at council members during the meeting.

Lesbian activist Cd Kirven said she expected more from council members and that they should support civil rights.

“You, as a municipal representative, should always represent those ideals and are a critical part of freedom’s foundation,” Kirven told council members. “Again the LGBT community is disappointed by officials who claim to be allies.”

Continue reading “LGBT advocates clash with City Council members over equality resolution” »

— Anna Waugh

Thanks for the wake-up call, Mike

Posted on 11 Jun 2013 at 11:31am

CBS 11 aired this story last night about what we first reported Saturday — Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Pauline Medrano’s last-ditch effort to get an LGBT equality resolution on the June 12 City Council agenda.

As you’ve undoubtedly heard by now, Mayor Mike Rawlings is vehemently opposed to the council considering the resolution, and he apparently convinced City Attorney Tom Perkins to take the position that the mayor is not absent — and therefore Medrano is not acting mayor — even though Rawlings is in South America.

Now I’m no attorney, but does this not seem like a pretty awful legal opinion? If Rawlings is not absent when he’s on another continent, where does he have to go to be absent? Antarctica? Mars? Though these may sound like good places for Rawlings, one has to wonder what the point is of even having a mayor pro tem or deputy pro tem, if they’re never going to be needed.

Anyhow, as we reported yesterday, LGBT advocates are planning to converge on Wednesday’s council meeting to express their disapproval of the council’s failure to take up the resolution. But personally, I think we should also take the opportunity to thank Rawlings.

We should thank him for giving us a wake-up call about the lack of support for the LGBT community at City Hall, and more importantly, we should thank him for galvanizing us around this issue — and mobilizing us to action. Although this is only a city resolution, we have much bigger fights ahead.

Let’s face it, the U.S. Supreme Court isn’t going to hand us nationwide marriage equality later this month, and the justices certainly aren’t going to hand us employment protections. The reality is, we’re going to have to continue to fight for equality city by city and state by state, so why not draw a line in the sand right here and right now in Texas?

After all, if we can’t prevail against a patsy like Rawlings in what amounts to a scrimmage, how are we going to go up against the state Legislature for the real thing?

Watch Channel 11′s report below.

Continue reading “Thanks for the wake-up call, Mike” »

— John Wright

City secretary, mayor’s office defend not adding equality resolution to agenda

Posted on 10 Jun 2013 at 1:48pm

LGBT advocates plan to address council Wednesday

ANNA WAUGH | News Editor

Dallas City Secretary Rosa Rios claims scheduling — and not necessarily opposition from Mayor Mike Rawlings — was the main reason an LGBT equality resolution didn’t make it onto this week’s City Council agenda.

As we reported Saturday, Mayor Pro Tem Pauline Medrano — who was acting mayor because Rawlings is overseas — sent Rios a request to place the resolution on the agenda at 3:43 p.m. Friday.

Rios said Medrano’s request didn’t provide enough time to add it to the agenda, which was published later that evening. Even though items can be submitted up to 72 hours before the the 9 a.m. June 12 meeting, Rios said the deadline is usually a week before so there’s time for the planning process.

“There wasn’t sufficient time to be able to coordinate getting it on there,” she said. “The primary reasoning was the scheduling.”

Rios forwarded the request to Rawlings and City Manager Mary Suhm because it came from a council member. When asked why she didn’t honor the request since Rawlings was out of the country and Medrano was acting mayor, Rios said Medrano would only be acting mayor if Rawlings was unable to perform his duties.

“But the mayor was available. He could be consulted by phone, etc. And I know they’ve been doing that throughout the week,” Rios said.

Following procedure, Rios said Suhm and Rawlings would have discussed the request.

Suhm didn’t return phone calls seeking comment.

Medrano said the reason the resolution wasn’t on the agenda was because the city attorney’s office had determined that Rawlings was still able to be reached while on official city business in Brazil. Therefore, she didn’t have the authority as acting mayor to place it on the agenda.

Paula Blackmon, Rawlings’ chief of staff, told us last week that she was not aware of any conversations Rawlings had about Medrano’s effort to place the resolution on the agenda. Blackmon said Monday that she didn’t know if Rawlings and Suhm had spoken.

“I do not have any knowledge of Mayor and Mary Suhm speaking on Friday,” Blackmon wrote in an email. “However the City Attorney has determined that the Mayor Pro Tem does not have ALL of the powers of the mayor just because he is not present in the city. Currently, the mayor is in Brazil acting and serving the capacity of the Mayor Dallas and having two mayors of the City of Dallas is not possible.”

Rawlings has called the resolution a “misuse” of the council’s time and refused to place it on the agenda since Councilwoman Delia Jasso removed her signature from a memo that would have required him to do so. Medrano’s request was a last-ditch effort by supporters to get the resolution on the agenda before a new council is sworn in later this month, and before the Supreme Court rules in two marriage-equality cases.

After a rally downtown this past Saturday, LGBT advocates reportedly plan to address the City Council on Wednesday about the resolution during public comments.

“I need your assistance sending a message to Dallas City Hall that our lives ARE important,” Resource Center Dallas CEO Cece Cox said on Facebook earlier today. “I will be among several speakers Wednesday morning, June 12, to address the Dallas City Council about the recent debacle over LGBT equality resolutions. If you are able to attend, the meeting starts at 9 a.m. at City Hall, and wear red as a show of unity. We need to PACK THE CHAMBERS in red–please share this with your friends.”

Those who want to address the council about the LGBT resolution not making the agenda can do so by registering to speak with the city secretary at 214-670-3738 by 5 p.m. Tuesday.

— Anna Waugh

Hundreds march in support of Dallas equality resolution (photos, video)

Posted on 10 Jun 2013 at 12:24pm

GetEQUAL TX and Hope for Peace and Justice rallied at City Hall on Saturday to demand an equality resolution be placed on the Dallas City Council’s agenda. Love is Stronger was the theme for the protest.

More than 100 people gathered at 6 p.m. on City Hall Plaza. Several people, including straight allies, spoke before the group marched across Downtown to Razzle Dazzle Dallas, which took place at Main Street Garden and opened at 7 p.m.

Before leaving City Hall Plaza, GetEQUAL TX regional coordinator Daniel Cates drew a line with chalk on the ground and compared it to William Travis drawing a line in the sand at the Alamo.

Cates said Mayor Mike Rawlings had gone too far in calling the equality resolution a waste of time and asked everyone to cross the line with him.

The march headed from City Hall west to Griffin Street, then north to Main Street, before traveling the final four blocks to Main Street Garden.

Along the route, people in cars honked and waved. People in restaurants ran out to take pictures and some along the route joined the march.

No protesters or detractors made themselves known along the route. One group of 10 street preachers reading from the Bible on Main at Akard Street stood silently as the procession passed.

Inside the park, the rally continued on the main stage. Several speakers, including Midway Hills Christian Church Senior minister the Rev. Arthur Stewart and Congregation Beth El Binah Rabbi Steve Fisch, addressed the crowd.

BREAKING: Dallas mayor says he’s not absent even though he’s in Brazil, blocks LGBT equality resolution

Posted on 08 Jun 2013 at 11:07am

Mayor Mike Rawlings

Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Pauline Medrano, an LGBT ally who is acting mayor because Mike Rawlings is traveling overseas, sent a request to the city secretary Friday afternoon to place an LGBT equality resolution on the council’s June 12 agenda.

As you can see from the memo below, the city secretary then forwarded Medrano’s request to Rawlings and City Manager Mary Suhm. However, the LGBT equality resolution doesn’t appear on the June 12 agenda that was posted to the city’s website later Friday, apparently because Rawlings — who opposes the resolution — has convinced the city attorney to take the position that Medrano doesn’t have the authority to place it on the agenda.

Paula Blackmon, chief of staff for Rawlings, said early Saturday that questions about why the resolution doesn’t appear on the agenda should be directed to the city manager and the city secretary.

“They manage the agenda,” Blackmon said.

Pressed about whether she had any knowledge of what transpired Friday afternoon, Blackmon gave an identical response.

Agenda items must be posted 72 hours before the 9 a.m. Wednesday council meeting, which means the effective deadline is normally 5 p.m. Friday because the city secretary’s office is closed on weekends. However, the resolution could still theoretically be added to the agenda Saturday.

What this boils down to is a complicated legal question. Only the mayor and city manager can place items on the agenda. However, the mayor pro tem assumes the mayor’s duties if he’s absent.

According to Chapter 3, Section 11 of the city charter, “The city council shall elect one of its members as mayor pro tem, who shall perform the duties of mayor in the case of the absence or inability of the mayor to perform the duties of office, who shall, during that time, be vested with all the powers belonging to the mayor. The council shall also elect one of its members as deputy mayor pro tem to act in the absence of both the mayor and the mayor pro tem and to exercise the powers of the mayor during that time. (Amend. of 11-8-05, Prop. No. 13)”

Rawlings is apparently taking the position that even though he is in Brazil, he is not absent. The city charter does not define “absence.” It’s sad that Rawlings is going to these lengths to avoid having to vote on the LGBT equality resolution, and this maneuver should only add fuel to the fire beneath tonight’s march and rally at City Hall.

Medrano couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.

More to come …

Memo

— John Wright

CHART: Primary voting histories of Dallas City Council candidates

Posted on 04 Jun 2013 at 1:52pm

We mentioned on Monday that District 14 Dallas City Council candidate Philip Kingston now says he’s a Democrat, even though he has voted in five of the last six Republican primaries. We also posted an Oath of Affiliation Kingston signed to become eligible for Stonewall Democrats’ endorsement, which he did not receive anyway. A copy of the oath was distributed to Stonewall members who attended the group’s endorsement screenings. On the opposite side of the sheet of paper containing Kingston’s oath was a chart showing the primary voting histories of all Dallas City Council candidates. Although candidates’ voting histories regularly come up at Stonewall endorsement screenings, this marked the first time they had been put on paper for all to see, and some Kingston supporters said they felt the move was designed to target him. In any case, we thought we’d go ahead and share the chart, above.

It’s interesting to note that, based on the chart, party affiliation doesn’t seem to necessarily correlate with support or lack thereof for the LGBT community. For example, the most anti-gay member of the council, Vonciel Hill, has voted in every Democratic primary since 1992. And so has Councilwoman Delia Jasso, who will go down in infamy for her betrayal of the LGBT community last week. On the flip side, Councilman Jerry Allen has an exclusively Republican voting history, including the last four primaries, yet he was among the eight council members who said they would support an LGBT equality resolution. Sandy Greyson, who also said she would support the resolution, has voted in two Democratic primaries and two Republican primaries. Others who supported the resolution are solid Democrats — such as Pauline Medrano, Angela Hunt, Monica Alonzo and Dwaine Caraway. But other solid Democrats did not support the resolution, including Hill, Carolyn Davis and Tennell Atkins.

Is it possible that party affiliation only matters on LGBT issues when candidates are running for partisan offices and Republicans are forced to pander to right-wing voters who dominate Republican primaries? Also, and this is a little off the subject, but is there any chance Mayor Mike Rawlings is gearing up to run as a Republican in Texas House District 108 if Greg Abbott runs for governor and state Rep. Dan Branch runs for attorney general? It would certainly help explain his lack of support for LGBT issues as mayor.

— John Wright

Petition asks Mary Suhm to put pro-equality resolution on council agenda

Posted on 31 May 2013 at 9:56am

Mary Suhm

LGBT activists are now turning to Dallas City Manager Mary Suhm as their last hope for having a pro-equality resolution be placed on the council’s June 12 agenda.

Damien Duckett with Dallas Gay and Lesbian Alliance started the Change.org petition to urge Suhm to place the item on the agenda.

“This resolution deserves placement on the council agenda for an up or down vote. Marriage and workplace equality are of vital importance to local communities,” the petition reads. “This resolution allows the council to send a message in support of equality on behalf of all Dallas citizens that are disadvantaged as a result of bans on marriage and workplace equality.”

Suhm did not return calls this week asking if she’d put the item on the agenda. Her record on LGBT issues has been hit and miss. She spearheaded an “It Gets Better” video for the city, but wouldn’t back adding transgender healthcare coverage for city employees.

In addition to the city manager, Mayor Mike Rawlings, who said he wouldn’t budge on his refusal to place it on the agenda, can add an item, or five council members can add an item. But the latter failed this week when Councilwoman Deila Jasso pulled her support, leaving the memo one signature short. A new memo would require the resolution to be placed on the agenda within at least 30 days, so Suhm is the last option to bring it forward for a vote in June.

— Anna Waugh

WATCH: LGBT protesters ‘shame’ Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings

Posted on 30 May 2013 at 8:13pm

The good news is, Mayor Mike Rawlings is no longer afraid to show up at an event where he knows there will be LGBT protesters. The bad news is, LGBT protesters are still forced to gather outside places where Rawlings is scheduled to show up.

Although Rawlings tried to look diplomatic by greeting the protesters in front of the TV news cameras, activists like Cd Kirven of GetEQUAL weren’t having it, and they ultimately chanted, “Shame, shame, shame!” as Rawlings walked back to his vehicle.

Watch the report from WFAA-TV’s Jonathan Betz below.

Continue reading “WATCH: LGBT protesters ‘shame’ Dallas Mayor Mike Rawlings” »

— John Wright

Councilwoman Jasso apologizes for flip-flop without giving her reasons

Posted on 30 May 2013 at 5:23pm

Delia Jasso

Dallas Councilwoman Delia Jasso apologized to the LGBT community in a letter this afternoon, calling her decision to remove her signature from a memo to place a pro-equality resolution on the council’s agenda “impulsive.”

“My decision to remove my signature from the memo did not totally represent me, and it certainly did not represent you,” Jasso wrote. “I truly understand the pain, confusion and feelings of betrayal my decision has brought you, and I take complete ownership for causing these raw emotions.”

But Jasso didn’t explain why she removed her signature, saying only that her “judgment in that moment hurt people I care about and causes I’ve championed.”

She ends the letter by saying she will once again “stand for fairness and equality,” but she likely won’t get the chance.

City Secretary Rosa Rios told Dallas Voice today that Jasso can’t undo removing her signature.

She could, however, sign a new memo again along with four other council members, but Rios said the whole process starts again and the resolution would take at least 30 days to be added to an agenda. Unless Mayor Mike Rawlings adds it himself, which is unlikely. So, the new council session would have to vote on it.

Read Jasso’s full letter below.

Continue reading “Councilwoman Jasso apologizes for flip-flop without giving her reasons” »

— Anna Waugh

Rawlings on LGBT equality resolution: ‘I’m not going to change my mind’

Posted on 30 May 2013 at 1:49pm

Mayor MIke Rawlings meets with LGBT activists Thursday during his visit to Lakewood Country Club.

Protesters lined the entrance to the Lakewood Country Club in East Dallas early Thursday afternoon to call out Mayor Mike Rawlings on his lack of support for an LGBT equality resolution.

Rawlings said this week he doesn’t plan to place the LGBT equality resolution on the council agenda after Councilwoman Delia Jasso removed her signature from a memo that would have required the mayor to do so. .

Rawlings was scheduled to speak at the country club and surprised LGBT protesters when he came out and spoke to them briefly. He told Dallas Voice that he followed the process for the resolution and decided not to put it on the agenda after Jasso pulled her support.

He alo said he’s not worried about his personal support for equality being overshadowed by his refusal to place the resolution on the agenda without the needed signatures to do so.

“I just have to speak my mind. I’m not worried about anything being overshadowed by anything,” Rawlings said. “People can think what they want. They can call and email, but I’m not going to change my mind.”

Continue reading “Rawlings on LGBT equality resolution: ‘I’m not going to change my mind’” »

— Anna Waugh