On Thursday night, the Whitman-Walker Health Clinic will hold its annual “Be The Care” fundraiser honoring lesbian Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisconsin) with its “Partner for Life” award. Once again this year, journalists don't seem to think supporting this is a conflict of interest.
This liberal-Democrat event is being co-chaired by former Washington Post reporter Ceci Connolly, and she and her husband, current Post reporter Manuel Roig-Franzia (whose recent book targeted Sen. Marco Rubio) are “presenting hosts.” So is Fox News host Greta Van Susteren. That title goes to people donating $2500 to this activist group.
Whitman-Walker executive director Don Blanchon hailed Sen. Baldwin: “Senator Baldwin has been a great champion for improving access to high-quality, cost-effective health care for everyone, particularly those living with HIV/AIDS and the LGBT community. We are so grateful to have Senator Baldwin as a powerful and positive voice in the fight for health equity.”
Baldwin added: "We share a common commitment to improving access to high-quality, cost-effective health care for all Americans, including the LGBT community and people living with HIV/AIDS.”
Connolly touted the clinic as something she learned to love during her Post reporting days. “In all my years reporting on health issues, I have rarely encountered an organization with Whitman-Walker's superior one, two punch of first-rate care and commitment to community,” said Connolly. “While much of the nation is just coming around to concepts such as coordinated, integrated care, Whitman-Walker is delivering it to thousands each day. We are so pleased that Sen. Baldwin and so many fine leaders in the community are standing with us to meet what is sadly a large and growing need in the region.”
But health care isn't all Whitman-Walker does. It also advocates for the entire LGBT political agenda. In May, they'll host their annual "Going the Extra Mile" fundraiser for their legal programs, which include:
In recent years we have expanded our services to help gay men, lesbians and transgender persons combat discrimination, secure adequate health care, protect themselves and their families in the event of future incapacity or death, and obtain asylum in the U.S. if they faced persecution in their countries of origin. We also help transgender men and women to change their identity documents and other legal records to reflect their new names and actual gender.
In the most recent 12 months, Whitman-Walker staff lawyers and volunteer lawyers and paralegals assisted more than 2,200 new clients on more than 3,600 new legal matters.
