Ken Mehlman
Ken Mehlman | |
---|---|
Chair of the Republican National Committee | |
In office January 19, 2005 – January 19, 2007 | |
Preceded by | Ed Gillespie |
Succeeded by | Mike Duncan (National Chair) Mel Martínez (General Chair) |
White House Director of Political Affairs | |
In office January 20, 2001 – May 23, 2003 | |
President | George W. Bush |
Preceded by | Minyon Moore |
Succeeded by | Matt Schlapp |
Personal details | |
Born | Kenneth Brian Mehlman August 21, 1966 Baltimore, Maryland, U.S. |
Political party | Republican |
Education | Franklin and Marshall College (BA) Harvard University (JD) |
Kenneth Brian Mehlman (born August 21, 1966) is an American social entrepreneur and businessman. He serves as a member, global head of public affairs, and co-head of KKR global impact at investment firm Kohlberg Kravis Roberts. He oversees the firm's responsible investment efforts, leading the firm's Environmental Social Governance programs. Prior to joining KKR, Mehlman spent a year as an attorney and partner at law firm Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld. In January 2017, Mehlman announced that he would act as chairman of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Policy Advisory Board.[1]
Mehlman held several national posts in the
In 2010, Mehlman came out as gay in an interview with journalist Marc Ambinder, which made him one of the few prominent openly gay figures in the Republican Party.[3] He told Ambinder that he was aware that the Republican Party emphasized an anti-gay agenda but felt that he could not "go against the party consensus" when he held leadership positions.[4] After coming out, Mehlman advocated for the recognition of same-sex marriage.[5]
Early life and education
Mehlman was born in
Mehlman received his undergraduate degree in 1988 from
Career
Mehlman practiced
Mehlman served as field director for the
Mehlman joined
In addition to his role at
On January 10, 2017, Mark Zuckerberg announced on Facebook that Mehlman and David Plouffe would be joining the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative. Mehlman will chair the philanthropy's public policy advisory board, which he stated in his official Facebook post will consist of "a diverse group of advisors and experts."[17][18][1]
On March 4, 2021, Mehlman was elected to the board of directors of the United Negro College Fund (UNCF).[19]
Republican National Committee chairmanship
Mehlman was Bush's choice to replace
Mehlman addressed the
Although Mehlman's speech seemed to suggest a new approach towards the African-American community, most have considered the approach to be unsuccessful, with several polls indicating that Republicans have not improved in terms of African-American approval. A
As the head of the RNC, Mehlman played a key role, along with
In 2016, Mehlman was a vocal opponent of Donald Trump's in the primary and general election, and he publicly vowed to vote for Hillary Clinton.[27][28]
Phone jamming scandal
A Democratic analysis of phone records introduced at the 2005 criminal trial of
Coming out
In August 2010, Mehlman revealed that he is gay. Prior to this revelation, rumors about Mehlman's sexual orientation had circulated since at least 2004.[31] In May 2006, Mehlman denied he was gay, telling the New York Daily News: "I'm not gay, but those stories did a number on my dating life for six months."[32] On November 8, 2006, comedian Bill Maher made an appearance on Larry King Live, during which he referred to Mehlman as a closeted gay man. The incident became controversial because CNN edited out Maher's comments in later taped editions and removed the reference to Mehlman's sexual orientation from the transcript of the show. The day after Maher's comments, Mehlman announced he would step down as chairman of the RNC (although reports said that his resignation had been expected for some time).[33]
Almost four years later, in an article in
Reactions
Marc Ambinder, who interviewed Mehlman and wrote The Atlantic article, said that Mehlman's roles with the RNC and the Bush campaign "coincided with the Republican Party's attempts to exploit anti-gay prejudices and cement the allegiance of social conservatives".
Some segments of the LGBT community expressed support for Mehlman.
Equal rights advocacy
Support for same-sex marriage
In June 2011, Mehlman lobbied Republican members of the New York state legislature to support the legalization of same-sex marriage in New York and reached out to conservative donors and operatives.[38]
Mehlman often spoke with undecided GOP senators, including three of the four who eventually voted in favor of the bill.[38] Mehlman, who gained the support of many gay-rights backers, discussed the political and ideological reasons why lawmakers should vote for the bill. He said, "Letting two adults who love each other get married strengthens and promotes families."[39] Mehlman told GOP senators that legalizing same-sex marriage aligned with Republican interests and principles. He emphasized that polls showed a significant shift toward voter support of same-sex marriage.[39] Four Republican senators voted for the Marriage Equality Act.[38]
Several gay rights leaders and bloggers recognized Mehlman's role.
In January 2013, also before United States v. Windsor, Mehlman spoke with political activist David Kochel[who?] in Iowa about how supporting same-sex marriage is a conservative value. He stated that, "I'm a conservative because I believe in more freedom and I believe in less government. I think that we are endowed by our Creator, not by politicians, not by government, not by bureaucrats, with inalienable rights, including the pursuit of happiness. If you believe that, what could be more central to the pursuit of happiness than choosing the person that you love, that you have the right to marry?"[45]
In February 2013, Mehlman helped organize an
In November 2013, Mehlman launched a non-profit organization called Project Right Side [48] focused on convincing more Republicans to support marriage equality. The organization also conducts research and analysis in an effort to improve political conditions for LGBTQ issues. He stated that "Conservatives don't need to change core convictions to embrace the growing support for equal rights for gay Americans. It is sufficient to recognize the inherent conservatism in citizens' desire to marry, to be judged on their work, and not to be singled out for higher taxes or bullying at school. These objectives can be achieved while also protecting religious liberty, as demonstrated by states enacting civil marriage with exemptions for religious institutions."[49]
In February 2014, Mehlman was a keynote speaker
Don't Ask, Don't Tell legislation
Mehlman supported the repeal of the "
Workplace discrimination
Mehlman has also worked on LGBTQ non-discrimination issues. He actively helped Congressional leaders pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) in the Senate in 2013.[52][53] In July 2019, Mehlman filed an amicus brief, joined by close to three dozen other Republican leaders, arguing in support of the rights of LGBT people in the workplace.[54] The brief argued that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 explicitly prohibits discrimination against gay men, lesbians and transgender people in the workplace due to language in the law that prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex.[55] In addition, Mehlman wrote an op-ed for The New York Times outlining his reasons for believing that the fight for gay rights upholds the Republican values of economic freedom and personal liberty. In the piece, Mehlman writes that firing an employee because of their sexual orientation or gender identity is "... unethical and un-American, and the Supreme Court has the opportunity to read the clear language of Title VII [of the Civil Rights Act] and affirm that it is illegal."[56]
Personal life
Mehlman is
References
- ^ a b Mehlman, Kenneth. "Announcement of Chairmanship of the Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Policy Advisory Board". Facebook. Archived from the original on 2022-02-26. Retrieved 11 January 2017.
- ^ Paul, Scott (June 6, 2007). "Mehlman to Join Holocaust Memorial Council". Washington Note. Retrieved May 7, 2013.
- New York Times. Retrieved August 26, 2010.
- ^ a b c d e Ambinder, Marc (August 25, 2010). "Bush Campaign Chief and Former RNC Chair Ken Mehlman: I'm Gay". The Atlantic. Retrieved August 25, 2010.
- New York Times. Retrieved June 20, 2013.
- ^ "MuniMae: About MuniMae: Directors and Officers". Archived from the original on October 21, 2007.
- ^ Justice, Glen; Kornblut, Anne (January 17, 2005). "For Lobbyists, the Hottest Parties Fall Outside the Official Lineup". The New York Times. Retrieved August 25, 2010.
- ^ "Mehlman Vogel Castagnetti: Bruce Mehlman". Mvc-dc.com. Archived from the original on 2014-02-22. Retrieved 2013-12-05.
- ^ "Former RNC Chair Ken Mehlman Returns to Akin Gump". PR Newswire. Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP.
- ^ Schaller, Thomas (June 2004). "All the President's Man". Baltimore Magazine.
- ^ Green, Adam (March 7, 2005). "The Pollies". The New Yorker. Retrieved August 25, 2010.
- ^ "KKR Senior Executives: Kenneth B. Mehlman". Retrieved January 11, 2016.
- ^ "Trustees of The Mount Sinai Medical Center". Mount Sinai Hospital. Retrieved May 7, 2013.
- ^ "PEGCC Board of Directors". Retrieved April 29, 2016.
- ^ "SEO Board of Directors". Retrieved April 29, 2016.
- ^ "Alan Beller and Ken Mehlman Join SASB Board of Directors" (Press release). PR Newswire.
- ^ Isaac, Mike (January 10, 2017). "Chan Zuckerberg Initiative Builds Political Muscle for Philanthropic Work". The New York Times.
- ^ Ponnuru, Ramesh (January 10, 2017). "Ken Mehlman and David Plouffe Team Up at Chan Zuckerberg Initiative". National Review.
- ^ LeNior, Monique (June 3, 2021). "KKR Executive Ken Mehlman Joins UNCF Board of Directors". Globe Newswire. Retrieved July 16, 2021.
- ^ Texeira, Erin (August 28, 2006). "Republican gains with minority voters threatened by offensive comments, missteps". Associated Press.
- Boston Globe, July 15, 2005
- Boston Globe, August 5, 2005
- ^ Froomkin, Dan (October 13, 2005). "A Polling Free-Fall Among Blacks". The Washington Post. Retrieved May 7, 2010.
- ^ "NAACP Legislative Report Card, 109th Congress" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2015-09-05. Retrieved 2013-12-05.
- ^ Peter Wallsten and Tom Hamburger, One Party Country: The Republican Plan for Dominance in the 21st Century Archived 2008-08-30 at the Wayback Machine (Wiley, 2006).
- ^ Balz, Dan (November 10, 2006). "Mehlman Won't Seek Another Term as Republican Party Chief". The Washington Post.
- ^ Kristof, Nicholas (21 July 2016). "What Republicans Really Think About Trump". The New York Times. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
- ^ "The Republicans Opposing Donald Trump — And Voting for Hillary Clinton". NBC News. 2 March 2016. Retrieved 18 January 2021.
- ^ "Granite Status: Meridian to guide Coburn race for governor" Archived 2006-03-23 at the Wayback Machine by John Distaso, UnionLeader.com, March 23, 2006
- ^ Statement From RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman Archived 2007-09-28 at the Wayback Machine, Republican Party website, April 11, 2006.
- ^ "Out and About to Get Ugly:How many closet cases does it take to reelect a president?". New York Press. November 30, 2004. Retrieved August 26, 2010.
- ^ "Six appeal; plus: Is 'gay' a dirty word?" Archived 2008-02-04 at the Wayback Machine by David Koon, Arkansas Times, November 16, 2006.
- ^ "Mehlman stepping down as Republican Committee Chair – CNN.com". CNN. Archived from the original on May 6, 2007. Retrieved May 7, 2010.
- New York Times. Retrieved August 26, 2010.
- ^ "THE ED SHOW for August 26, 2010 (transcript)". MSNBC (via LexisNexis). August 26, 2010. Archived from the original on February 7, 2012. Retrieved August 30, 2010.
- ^ Petrow, Steven (August 26, 2010). "In Defense of Ken Mehlman: Former GOP Chair Is No Roy Cohn". Huffington Post.
- ^ "Gay Politics — BREAKING: Victory Fund responds to former RNC chairman's coming out". Archived from the original on 2012-09-09. Retrieved 2010-08-30.
- ^ a b c d Samuel P. Jacobs, "Gay Marriage's Unlikely Hero", The Daily Beast, June 22, 2011; accessed July 4, 2011.
- ^ a b Celeste Katz. "Former RNC Chairman Ken Mehlman Pushes Legalization Of Same-Sex Marriage In Albany" Archived 2011-07-09 at the Wayback Machine, New York Daily News, June 25, 2011; accessed July 4, 2011.
- ^ David Mixner "The Daily Beast: Gay Marriage's Unlikely Hero" at DavidMixner.com Archived 2011-07-01 at the Wayback Machine, June 26, 2011; accessed July 10, 2011
- ^ John Aravosis "Republicans, including Ken Mehlman, played key role in NY marriage victory – Dems beware" Archived 2011-07-02 at the Wayback Machine, AmericaBlog.com, June 27, 2011; accessed July 10, 2011
- ^ Out Magazine "17th Annual Out100: Ken Mehlman, Politician", November 7, 2011; accessed March 12, 2011.
- ^ Adam Nagourney and Brook Barnes. "Gay Marriage Effort Attracts a Novel Group of Donors", New York Times, March 23, 2012; accessed April 3, 2012.
- ^ Matthew Garrahan. "Rich donors back gay marriage", Financial Times, July 24, 2012; accessed July 26, 2012.
- ^ Kevin Hall "Mehlman, Kochel: Support of Same-Sex Marriage is Conservative" Archived 2013-02-06 at the Wayback Machine, The Iowa Republican, January 29, 2013; accessed January 31, 2013.
- ^ Richard Socarides "Ken Mehlman's Gay-Marriage Mission", The New Yorker, February 26, 2013; accessed February 27 2013.
- ^ Stolberg, Sheryl (February 25, 2013). "Republicans Sign Brief in Support of Gay Marriage". New York Times. Retrieved February 27, 2013.
- ^ "Ken Mehlman Launches Project To Build Conservative Support For Marriage Equality". Huffington Post. November 21, 2012.
- ^ "Ken Mehlman". IMDb. Retrieved 2019-12-30.
- ^ "Harvard LGBTQ Conference Speakers". Harvard LGBTQ Conference. Archived from the original on 2014-02-22.
- ^ Ed [@EdLuna] (February 2, 2014). ""There's nothing more powerful than coming out and being who you are" -Ken Mehlman #HarvardLGBTQConf" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
- ^ Zoë, Carpenter (November 5, 2013). "Will ENDA Be the Next Casualty of the GOP's Internal Crisis?". The Nation. Archived from the original on July 9, 2019. Retrieved July 9, 2019.
- ^ Ferraro, Thomas (November 7, 2013). "Senate passes bill to ban discrimination against gay workers". Reuters.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2019-12-30.
- ^ Peters, Jeremy (July 2, 2019). "Prominent Republicans File Brief to Support L.G.B.T. Rights in Legal Case". The New York Times.
- ^ Mehlman, Ken (July 2, 2019). "Why Gay Rights Is a Republican Value". The New York Times.
- ^ "Jewish Virtual Library Ken Mehlman Bio". Jewish Virtual Library. Retrieved May 7, 2013.