White House Rejects Salvation Army Proposal

W A S H I N G T O N, July 10 -- After being accused of striking a secret deal with the Salvation Army, the Bush administration announced today it will not issue a new federal regulation sought by the church to protect the right of taxpayer-funded religious organizations to discriminate against homosexuals.

"The White House will not pursue the [Office of Management and Budget] regulation proposed by theSalvation Army," White House press secretary Ari Fleischer said in a written statement late today.

The announcement came after gay and civil rights activists had accused the White House of promising to revise an OMB regulation called a "circular" in exchange for the Salvation Army's support for President Bush's faith-based initiative.

"The administration is in fact willing to throw the rights of some citizens overboard in return for political support," Wade Henderson, executive director of the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, said at a news conference in Washington this afternoon.

Internal Memo Revealed

Excerpts of an internal Salvation Army document published today by The Washington Post said the White House had "committed" to change the circular in order to shield religious groups from state and local laws prohibiting anti-gay hiring practices.

Other excerpts from the 79-page report suggested the Christian charity believed the assurance had been given in exchange for its promise to support Bush's legislative proposal to boost funding for churches and other religious organizations that provide certain social services.

"This kind of backroom deal, this quid pro quo arrangement that would allow religious organizations to circumvent civil rights laws enacted by elected officials in state and local municipalities is reprehensible," said Winne Stackleburger, political director of the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay rights organization.

Fleischer said earlier today the administration had told the Salvation Army its suggested rule-change "would be reviewed," but insisted there were "absolutely not" any deals struck or promises made. He said administration officials have "advised" the group of its apparent misunderstanding.