While the total number of jobs is not huge, the symbolism could be massive if defense contracting giant Northrup Grumman decides to reject a Virginia location for its headquarters because of Virginia's anti-gay stance. I truly hope that a Maryland or Washington, D.C., location is selected instead since Bob McDonnell and Ken Cuccinelli along with their Christo-fascsist supporters need a first hand demonstration that hate and bigotry are making Virginia non-competitive. Other than the U. S. Military, Northrup Grumman is one of the largest employers in Virginia (nearby Newport News Shipbuilding employs over 20 thousand people) and for the company to reject Virginia as the location for its headquarters would be a huge embarrassment for Bob "jobs governor" McDonnell. Any readers who own stock or have other connections with Northrup Grumman need to make known your opposition to moving the corporate headquarters to Virginia and specifically cite Virginia's legalized homophobia as an objection. One can only hope that HRC and NGLTF will likewise chime in and urge the rejection of a Virginia location. Here are some highlights from the Washington Post: *
RICHMOND -- A Maryland state senator and gay rights advocates are urging defense giant Northrop Grumman to reject Virginia as a location for its new corporate headquarters because of the Commonwealth's position on state protections for gay employees.
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In a letter sent Thursday to the company's CEO, Maryland State Sen. Richard S. Madaleno Jr. (D-Montgomery) argued his state's stand on gay rights better mirrors the company's own longstanding commitment to gay and lesbian employees.
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"Here in Maryland, we value our gay and lesbian citizens as part of a diverse population that makes the state strong," Madaleno wrote. "Virginia is doing the opposite and letting its LGBT citizens -- and those considering whether to move and work there -- know that they and their families are unwelcome second-class citizens. And they are counting on corporations like yours not to care."
*
The Los Angeles-based company is currently deciding between Virginia, Maryland and the District as a new home for its 300 top executives, running an unusually public contest among the three.
*
Madaleno, who is gay, wrote that new Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R) and Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli (R) are "turning back the clock" on gay rights, as Maryland's attorney general has announced the state will recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states. Virginia voters in 2006 amended the state constitution to prohibit gay marriage.
*
On Friday, the chief executive office of Equality Virginia, a gay rights group, sent Northrop Grumman CEO Wesley Bush a similar letter. The group has scheduled a news conference on the topic for Monday.
*
Dan McClain, a spokesman for Northrop Grumman, said Bush has not yet read the letters and declined to comment on specific factors going into the company's relocation decision. But, he added, the company believes "a workplace that values diversity and fosters inclusion is pivotal to promoting innovation and increasing productivity." For several years, Northrop Grumman has received a perfect rating from the Human Rights Campaign for its protections for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgenderemployees.
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Gay rights groups in Virginia have been sounding the alarm about changes in state policy instituted since McDonnell took office in January. Persuading a massive company like Northrop Grumman not to move to the state would be a massive symbolic victory for the movement.
*
In his letter, Madaleno noted that an executive order barring discrimination in the state workforce issued by McDonnell shortly after taking office did not include protections for gay employees, a departure from his Democratic predecessors. And he pointed out that McDonnell, citing advice from Cuccinelli, also declined to extend health benefits to the other adults living in the homes of state employees, including gay partners, as had been proposed in the waning days of Democratic Gov. Timothy M. Kaine's term.
*
Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley's secretary of business and economic development, Christian S. Johansson, said through a spokeswoman that while state officials have been focused on presenting Northrop a package of economic benefits, they also recognize there may be cultural or social issues that could make one Washington-area jurisdiction more attractive than another.
RICHMOND -- A Maryland state senator and gay rights advocates are urging defense giant Northrop Grumman to reject Virginia as a location for its new corporate headquarters because of the Commonwealth's position on state protections for gay employees.
*
In a letter sent Thursday to the company's CEO, Maryland State Sen. Richard S. Madaleno Jr. (D-Montgomery) argued his state's stand on gay rights better mirrors the company's own longstanding commitment to gay and lesbian employees.
*
"Here in Maryland, we value our gay and lesbian citizens as part of a diverse population that makes the state strong," Madaleno wrote. "Virginia is doing the opposite and letting its LGBT citizens -- and those considering whether to move and work there -- know that they and their families are unwelcome second-class citizens. And they are counting on corporations like yours not to care."
*
The Los Angeles-based company is currently deciding between Virginia, Maryland and the District as a new home for its 300 top executives, running an unusually public contest among the three.
*
Madaleno, who is gay, wrote that new Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R) and Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli (R) are "turning back the clock" on gay rights, as Maryland's attorney general has announced the state will recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states. Virginia voters in 2006 amended the state constitution to prohibit gay marriage.
*
On Friday, the chief executive office of Equality Virginia, a gay rights group, sent Northrop Grumman CEO Wesley Bush a similar letter. The group has scheduled a news conference on the topic for Monday.
*
Dan McClain, a spokesman for Northrop Grumman, said Bush has not yet read the letters and declined to comment on specific factors going into the company's relocation decision. But, he added, the company believes "a workplace that values diversity and fosters inclusion is pivotal to promoting innovation and increasing productivity." For several years, Northrop Grumman has received a perfect rating from the Human Rights Campaign for its protections for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgenderemployees.
*
Gay rights groups in Virginia have been sounding the alarm about changes in state policy instituted since McDonnell took office in January. Persuading a massive company like Northrop Grumman not to move to the state would be a massive symbolic victory for the movement.
*
In his letter, Madaleno noted that an executive order barring discrimination in the state workforce issued by McDonnell shortly after taking office did not include protections for gay employees, a departure from his Democratic predecessors. And he pointed out that McDonnell, citing advice from Cuccinelli, also declined to extend health benefits to the other adults living in the homes of state employees, including gay partners, as had been proposed in the waning days of Democratic Gov. Timothy M. Kaine's term.
*
Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley's secretary of business and economic development, Christian S. Johansson, said through a spokeswoman that while state officials have been focused on presenting Northrop a package of economic benefits, they also recognize there may be cultural or social issues that could make one Washington-area jurisdiction more attractive than another.
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