Metro Weekly

Conservatives believe Ivanka Trump stopped anti-LGBTQ executive order

AFA believes Trump leaked draft order in February and eviscerated latest executive order

Ivanka Trump – Photo: Cvent Inc / Flickr

Conservatives aren’t happy that President Trump’s rumored anti-LGBTQ executive order failed to appear.

On Thursday, Trump instead announced the signing of a bill that would relax the ban on churches participating in the political process, despite reports that suggested he would sign a “religious freedom” bill, legalizing discrimination against LGBTQ people.

Unfortunately, that didn’t go down well with anti-LGBTQ conservative organizations. The American Family Association’s Bryan Fischer accused Ivanka Trump of intervening in the president’s plans and effectively killing the “religious freedom” bill — an earlier draft of which had been leaked in February.

“This morning’s empty and symbolic action on the president’s part most likely betrays the hidden hand of the president’s uber-liberal daughter, Ivanka,” Fischer said. “[She] likely leaked the February draft to a liberal rag in order to stir up enough intense outrage from the LGBT community to strangle this baby in the cradle.

“It worked,” Fischer continued.“Ivanka wore out her red pencil eviscerating the original order, leaving us with today’s order which has very nice language but is virtually entirely lacking in substance.”

He further complained that Trump’s latest order offered “no word of comfort, encouragement, or support for those who have been victimized by the relentless persecution of the homosexual lobby. They apparently will have to wait for another day, waiting without any assurance that this new administration will stand with them and protect their constitutional liberties.”

The National Organization for Marriage said in a statement that Trump’s order “falls far short of what is needed to protect people of faith from governmental persecution set in motion by the Obama administration.”

“This is the second time that President Trump has backed away from signing a comprehensive order protecting religious liberty after LGBT groups complained about the proposed actions,” the statement continued, adding that the group was “disappointed” that Trump had failed to protect people of faith who want to discriminate against LGBTQ people.

“NOM is committed to fighting to ensure that the new rules that are developed by the Department of Justice are comprehensive and effective, and we will need your help in doing so.”

Last year, NOM called its supporters “pathetic” for failing to give the organization enough money to fight against same-sex marriage and LGBTQ equality.

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