By Kevin D. McNair
Special to the AFRO
Members of the Maryland Legislative LGBTQ+ Caucus recently released a statement in response to reports about Larry Hogan allegedly dismissing the concerns of an LGBTQ+ Maryland voter who brought up his record of refusing to stand up for LGBTQ+ rights.
“Larry Hogan is no friend to the LGBTQ+ community,” said District 3 Delegate and Chair of the Maryland Legislative LGBTQ+ Caucus, Kris Fair. “As governor, he refused to take a stand on basic legislation to protect LGBTQ+ Marylanders from hate crimes, stop discrimination against LGBTQ+ students and patients, or eliminate the so-called ‘panic defense’ that allows criminals to evade culpability when they harm LGBTQ+ people.”
District 17 State Delegate Joe Vogel said he wants more than empty promises and an illusion of support.
“I want to know whether my next Senator will stand up for transgender Maryland and LGBTQ+ children against an onslaught of attacks from the far-right,” he said. “I want to know whether my next Senator will fight back against a Supreme Court intent on repealing the rights generations fought for — including the right to gay marriage.”
Hogan, the former Maryland governor, who’s running for U.S. Senate as a moderate Republican, says he can work across political divides. But he seemed to evade questions on his record about LGBTQ+ rights during a recent town hall via telephone.
Hogan said he didn’t know what bills were being questioned and added that he didn’t oppose any that he could recall and that they became law anyway. Several pro-LGBTQ+ bills did become law without his signature during his two terms in office (2015 – 2023) and he did in fact oppose others.
Hogan’s campaign website doesn’t include a section on LGBTQ+ issues. In contrast, his opponent, Angela Alsobrooks, does include on her site a section on “Equality,” which notes that as Prince George’s County executive, she appointed the county’s first LGBTQ+ liaison.