Gay City Solicitor on a personal vendetta?
Various homosexual groups continue their assault on the Boy Scouts of America due the the private youth organization's national policy of banning gay scout leaders. Most of the time, the attacks are very public and consist of lawsuits claiming discrimination, but other times they are hidden ambushes by public officials too cowardly to admit their intentions.
As reported by the Philadelphia Inquirer on Phily.com:
On July 20, City Solicitor Romulo L. Diaz Jr. warned Cradle of Liberty officials in a letter that the Boy Scouts' ban on openly gay members violated city anti-discrimination policies. For that reason, Diaz wrote, the scouts should pay fair-market rent or leave the building.
But when asked directly about the letter, according to Fox News, Diaz denied any connection to the national policy against gays, instead claiming he was simply asking for fair market value.
The problem with that excuse is that the Scout group has been using the property since 1928 under a City Ordinance giving them free rent as long as they provide maintenance and upkeep.
Via Philly.com:
Scout officials maintain that the 1928 city ordinance that let the scouts build on the half-acre site at 22d and Winter Streets promised them usage "in perpetuity."
While publicly shying away from the letter's true intentions, Diaz doesn't seem to feel the need to mince words when speaking to GayCityNews.com, proudly defending his actions.
City Solicitor Romulo L. Diaz, Jr. told the paper:
"They may discriminate if they choose to do so, but not with the city subsidy of free rent."
This should come as no great surprise, being that Romulo Diaz Jr. is currently sitting on the Advisory Board of the Sapphire Fund, which is an organization dedicated, in it's own words:
""... to support the efforts of organizations contributing to the health and well-being of Philadelphia's gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered community and those who support them. "
It should also NOT be a surprise that Diaz had been a Clinton appointee in 1998 to serve as Assistant Administrator for Administration and Resources Management, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. You can view the official appointment here.
Diaz is also currently sitting on the Board of Directors for SLDN (Service Members Legal Defense Network) which has a mission statement which reads as follows:
"Servicemembers Legal Defense Network (SLDN) is a national, non-profit legal services, watchdog and policy organization dedicated to ending discrimination against and harassment of military personnel affected by "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" and related forms of intolerance.
It seems to me that Mr. Diaz is using his position as City Solicitor to pursue his own personal agenda.
Contact Romulo Diaz Jr. at 215-683-5003 and let him know how you feel.
Write the Mayor at:
Mayor John F. Street
215 City Hall
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215-683-5648
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