FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 27, 2006

CONTACT:
Stephen Gaskill
954/524-0492
202/257-9298 cell

FLORIDA GLBT DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS GROWS TO 14 CHAPTERS
New Chapters Form in Republican, Conservative "Red State" Regions

Fort Lauderdale - The Florida GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender) Democratic Caucus, representing the gay community for the Florida Democratic Party (FDP), has grown in the past year from 5 to 14 chapters. The growth in chapters comes in traditionally conservative, Republican areas of the state, including Tallahassee, Sarasota, Pensacola, and Polk County.

"The GLBT community is a core constituency of the Democratic Party, and we are organizing to have an impact on the 2006 election cycle," said Michael Albetta, president of the Caucus. "There are more than one million GLBT residents in Florida, and statistics show that most of them are Democrats. We can and will be the margin of victory for Democratic candidates in this tight election year."

Based on data from the 2000 US Census, the Caucus estimates there are 1.04 million GLBT residents in Florida, representing all parts of the state. While conventional wisdom states that the majority of the GLBT community is in traditionally Democratic South Florida, the Census data show that is not the case - there is a significant GLBT population in rural areas such as Alachua, Polk, Lee and Seminole Counties, among others. For a statistical analysis of where Florida's GLBT population lives, please check out http://floridaglbtdemocrats.org/documents/VotingImpact.pdf on the Caucus website.

"Our numbers show that, while our community might not be visible, we are still there," Albetta said. "If the FDP had reached out to us more in 2004, we would have made up the 80,000 vote shortfall and Senator Betty Castor would be sitting on Capitol Hill today."

Among the Caucus' newest chapters are: Capital Stonewall Democrats in Leon County (Tallahassee) and soon to be named chapters in Polk County and Escambia County (Pensacola).

They join the Caucus' existing chapters: Rainbow Democratic Club (Orlando); Dolphin Democrats (Fort Lauderdale); Democratic Lesbian and Gay Caucus of Miami-Dade County; Stonewall Democratic Caucus of Southwest Florida (Cape Coral); GLBT Democratic Caucus of Seminole County (Altamonte Springs); Stonewall Democrats of Pinellas County; Hillsborough County GLBTA Democratic Caucus; Suncoast Stonewall Democrats (Sarasota); Lambda Democrats of Key West; LGBT Triangle Caucus of Alachua County; and Triangle JAX Democratic Caucus (Jacksonville). (Contact information for each of the chapters is available at www.floridaGLBTdemocrats.org).

The Florida GLBT Democratic Caucus will hold its summer conference on Saturday, July 15 in Tallahassee. Among the speakers will be Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA), Rep. Allen Boyd (invited), local candidates and elected officials, and representatives from the National Stonewall Democrats, Democratic National Committee, and Florida Democratic Party. A full agenda will be available for public release shortly. The summer conference is open to the press.

# # #
See the full article

By Kelley Beaucar Vlahos
Fox News

WASHINGTON - Democrats in sunny south Florida seem to have a pretty strong message for their Republican Rep. Clay Shaw this year: any friend of the Bush administration is no friend of ours.

That's a big letdown for Shaw, who has been in office representing the affluent coastal towns along part of Florida's eastern coast, mostly in Broward and Palm Beach counties, for 26 years.

He now faces a strong opponent at a time when some Democrats who might have stayed neutral in the past are indicating that a prospective takeover in the U.S. House outweighs the loyalties and fondness they have for Shaw.

"That is the first chink in [Shaw's] armor," said Stephen Gaskill, a spokesman for the Florida Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender Democratic Caucus, who worked for Shaw's unsuccessful Democratic opponent, Carol Roberts, in 2002.

Gaskill said an "unspoken rule" in the district has always been to not criticize incumbents, even those from the opposite party, during the campaign season. Roberts had a tough time getting Democratic support from county leaders as a result, Gaskill recalled.

But Democratic state Sen. Ron Klein, who is running aggressively against Shaw in the midterm, already has gained tacit endorsements from eight Democratic Broward County commissioners who joined a recent fundraiser for Klein, according to a May 26 Miami-Herald article.

"Clay Shaw is a most beloved representative, not just for Broward but for the interests for the state," commissioner Kristin Jacobs told the paper. "But I draw the line between what's been great for Broward and what's been great for this country … I really feel like I had to support a Democrat."

Mitch Caesar, chairman of the Broward County Democratic Party, said that "people have gone indignant," mostly because of activities in the nation's capital.

"I think that is a function of the horrendous dissatisfaction with Washington, with the Republican Congress and Republican president," said Caesar. "Some feel they no longer want the country controlled by one party."

The Florida primary is not until Sept. 5, but Klein has no party opposition. The two nominees will also face Neil Evangelista, who is running in the general election against them.

Evangelista, a libertarian running as an independent, says he jumped into the race to give Floridians an alternative. He says he sees little difference between the two parties, particularly in their approaches to getting out of the war in Iraq and addressing the federal deficit.

"I think nationwide, people are ready for a change," he said. "I don't think it would be any different with a Republican or a Democrat in the seat. We need somebody who will abide by their oath of office, stay within the constitutional guidelines and won't lie to the people."

Meanwhile, political analysts are calling the race between Shaw and Klein one of the most competitive in the country, with the advantage still leaning toward Shaw.

Shaw says district residents dismiss the complaints by county commissioners in the news article, adding the Miami-Herald headline, "Democrats Abandon Shaw," is misleading, because he continues to retain support from his old friends and colleagues on the other side of the aisle.

"I've got good, solid support in Florida from Democrats," said Shaw, 67, who claims he has thrived from such support, particularly in a swing district that in the last two years has shifted only more Republican.

"He still has strong crossover appeal," said Shane Strum, chairman of the Broward County Republican Party, adding he doesn't buy the idea that Democrats are all turning against Shaw. "That's the same thing we hear every election cycle. It's just a lot of rhetoric."

Shaw, who was mayor of his hometown of Fort Lauderdale from 1973 to 1980, has been in the House 13 terms, making his mark as the author of what eventually became 1996's landmark federal welfare reform.

Shaw helped pass the Central American Free Trade Agreement in 2005. He pushed his own version of a Social Security reform plan that would have provided for voluntary private savings accounts, guaranteed and funded through the government.

He also secured billions for restoration of the Florida Everglades with the help of both Republicans and Democrats in the Florida congressional delegation.

Though it is not clear he would be tapped to take over the post, Shaw is the next in line to chair the powerful House Ways and Means Committee when current Chairman Bill Thomas resigns at the end of the year. This re-election campaign may be just as tough as previous ones, but more is at stake, Shaw said.

"We (Florida) don't have a chairman of a full committee now and we're one of the largest states in the union," he said. "This is a big deal to Florida, there is no question about it."

Supporters, and even Shaw's detractors, acknowledge the congressman has been instrumental in bringing billions in federal dollars to Florida, and that a Ways and Means leadership position would be huge bonus, assuming Republicans keep the House majority.

"[Shaw] is well-known and he's well-liked and he brings home a ton in federal dollars. The whole state would be at a huge loss if we didn't have Clay Shaw," said Strum.

After a dramatic 600-vote win over Democrat Elaine Bloom in 2000, the GOP-controlled Florida Legislature redrew Shaw's district, making it more Republican. He won by much larger margins in 2002 and 2004 as a result.

Rep. Mark Foley, R-Fla., said the Democrats have been trying for years to recruit a candidate that could beat Shaw, to no avail. He said he doesn't think this year is any different. "[His constituents] like him, they are comfortable with him, he's not a shrill partisan," said Foley. "He's performed miracles for his constituents."

Klein, 48, said he believes he is a different kind of challenger, one with extensive experience in the state Senate, representing the same people as Shaw. He said the congressman's support of the Medicare reform bill, which included the new prescription drug plan for seniors, has put him at odds with the district's active retiree population, and his alliance with the administration on issues like education, energy and the war in Iraq will also hurt him in November.

Klein said he's also concerned about unchecked federal spending and emergency assistance programs in the wake of the hurricanes.

"There seems to be very little oversight. The people in control who ran on this platform of 'let's run government like a business and be accountable.' That hasn't taken place," he said.

Meanwhile, Florida Democratic Rep. Debbie Wasserman-Schultz has been actively campaigning against Shaw as part of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's effort to turn Republican "red" states into Democratic "blue" ones. President Bush won Florida, but lost the 22nd District in 2004 and 2000.

"(Klein) is a good fit for the 22nd District," said Wasserman-Schultz, a freshman congresswoman who represented part of Shaw's district while in the state Legislature. While there, she worked with Klein, whom she describes as a "pro-business moderate." As for Shaw, she said, "he does not have a voting record that represents the interests of his constituents."

Shaw, obviously disappointed that Wasserman-Schultz is actively working against him, said she was up front with him early on that Klein was her friend

"She jumped on his bandwagon and did it right away," he said, noting that he expects to win the district despite the cries against partisanship in Washington, D.C.

"The atmosphere here has really become venomous (in Washington), and I regret that," he said.
See the full article

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Wednesday, June 14, 2006

DEMOCRAT KEN KEECHL ANNOUNCES CAMPAIGN
FOR BROWARD COUNTY COMMISSION DISTRICT 4 SEAT
Local Attorney and Political Activist Will Be Full-Time Commissioner


Fort Lauderdale - Broward County attorney and Democratic activist Ken Keechl today announced his campaign for the District 4 seat on the Broward County Commission, pledging to be a full-time representative if elected. Keechl is not expected to face an opponent in the Democratic primary, and will take on incumbent Republican Jim Scott in November.

"It's time the 4th District had a full-time representative on the Broward County Commission," Keechl said. "The County has grown so much, and we are facing too many important issues, to have part-time representation - especially when the job comes with a full-time salary.

"We have a well-noted workforce housing crisis, as well as serious problems surrounding sensible growth," he continued. "I've seen how Broward County has developed over the past 20 years, and we need a focused effort on planning how we'll grow over the next 20 years. When I'm representing the residents of the 4th District, I'll put their interests and futures first."

Keechl is a native Floridian who has lived in Broward County for nearly 20 years. He recently resigned as a partner at Brinkley McNerney to devote his full-time effort to the campaign. During his tenure on the management committee, Brinkley McNerney tripled in size. Keechl built the firm's commercial litigation and land use litigation practices. He served the residents of the City of Plantation for 14 years as Assistant City Attorney, where he fought overdevelopment, and defended the city from developers wanting to take over Plantation Golf Course and other parks, and turn green spaces into high-end housing. Keechl also represented the City of Wellington.

According to the authoritative Martindale-Hubble legal credentialing service, Keechl holds an AV rating by his peers ("A": Very High to Preeminent for Legal Ability; "V": Very High for Ethical Standards).

Keechl also just stepped down as president of the Dolphin Democrats, one of Florida's largest Democratic clubs. The Dolphin Democrats represent Broward's gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) community, and Keechl had been president since 2005. During that time the Dolphins' membership grew from 133 to 400, making the club a force in local politics.

Keechl is a member of the Broward Democratic Executive Committee, serves as precinct leader in his local district of 16R, and was a delegate at the Florida Democratic Conventions in 2003 and 2005. He also served on the Kerry-Edwards Legal Team, which was charged with ensuring fairness in the 2004 Broward County vote.

Keechl was born on Eglin Air Force Base in the Florida Panhandle in 1962, where his father was stationed as an enlisted non-commissioned officer (NCO). After moving around the world throughout his youth, Keechl's family settled in South Florida in the late 1970s. Keechl put himself through school with on-campus jobs, student loans, and Pell Grants, and graduated cum laude from Florida State University (FSU) in 1984. He also graduated cum laude from FSU Law School in 1987, where he also was an editor on the Law Review.

Keechl and his partner, realtor Ted Adcock, have been together 9 years. They live in Coral Ridge.

# # #

Full-Time Commitment. Full-Time Leadership. It's Time for a Change.
See the full article

By William Vayens
Sun-Sentinel Letter to the Editor

June 12 was Loving Day.

Why is this important to us? This date celebrates the Loving vs. Virginia decision of 1967, which made it illegal to restrict interracial couples in the United States. Until this decision, interracial marriages were still illegal in 17 states (all in the South).

In his radio address on June 3, President Bush stated that his constitutional marriage amendment was needed because "activist judges have left our nation with no other choice."

Loving showed us the importance of our judicial tradition. How long would it have taken a majority of people in all 50 states to agree that interracial marriage should be accepted? Or how long would it have taken for them to agree that segregated schools should not be allowed? Or for that matter, how long would it have taken to give African-Americans full legal rights?

So the next time you hear someone railing against "activist judges," please say a silent prayer of thank you for these judges and pray that George Bush and his American Taliban are thoroughly rejected by the American people this fall.

Source: Sun-Sentinel
See the full article

By KEVIN BEGOS The Tampa Tribune

A statewide gay and lesbian group and one in the Tampa Bay area have started political action committees to sway voters this fall and in future elections.

Fueled by concern over proposals to amend the state constitution to ban gay marriage and the actions of Hillsborough County Commissioner Ronda Storms, the committees have few limits on fundraising or spending and thus have the potential to be a significant force in elections.

"We're trying to protect ourselves," said Michael Albetta, president of the GLBT (gay-lesbian-bisexual-transgender) Democratic Caucus, based in Fort Lauderdale. "We're going to flex our muscle and say we're here," he said of perceived indifference or prejudice from politicians.

The only surprising thing may be how long it has taken for the community to organize, said Daniel Smith, a political science professor from the University of Florida. For example, Miami's large gay community doesn't have the reputation of being as politically active as those in New York or San Francisco.

Albetta said that changed in part because of reports last year that the Florida Republican Party gave $150,000 to a political committee opposing gay marriage.

He stressed that the caucus plans a get-out-the-vote effort. The group combined data from the 2000 census with additional research on people of the same sex who are registered to vote at the same address to come up with detailed estimates of where same-sex couples live.

Though they acknowledge the numbers are an estimate, the data was collected down to the neighborhood level to help focus organizing.

Caucus spokesman Stephen Gaskill said the new political action committee hasn't decided how it will use money it raises. "I wouldn't be surprised if we saw some ads," he said.

Smith said there's a common denominator in judging how much effect any group might have: money.

"It's not going to be anything of great shakes unless there is a real financial commitment," he said, noting that a gay rights group in Colorado recently spent more than $1 million on a TV ad campaign promoting domestic partnerships.

The Florida caucus has 15 chapters statewide and more than 600 official members, Albetta said. One chapter recently formed in Polk City, a rural area near Lakeland.
"This is the groundwork we're laying for 2008," he said, when the group hopes to be more of a political force. In addition to the presidential election, Florida voters may see a proposed amendment on the ballot to ban gay marriage.

Locally, Richard Boylan helped set up the Stonewall Democrats of Pinellas County committee.

"It kind of spontaneously happened," he said. "A lot of people said, 'We really need to have something.'"

Hillsborough County Commissioner Ronda Storms "did us a huge favor last year" by proposing antigay legislation, Boylan said, because that motivated people to fight back.

"Our focus is very much on the local level," he said of the Stonewall Democrats, though some of its members also are part of statewide and national groups.
Smith said the best strategy for the Pinellas and statewide gay groups would be to frame the debate as one about fairness and not gay rights.

John Marble, a spokesman for the National Stonewall Democrats in Washington, said that message resonates on a broader level.

"A lot of cities realize that having a nondiscrimination policy in place really benefits local communities, and businesses are attracted to communities with such laws. A majority of Fortune 500 companies have similar policies," he said.

Source: Tampa-Tribune

See the full article