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Mayor Tom Leppert appears in the Alan Ross Texas Freedom Parade in 2007.
Mayor Tom Leppert appears in the Alan Ross Texas Freedom Parade in 2007.
For the second time in four years, Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert will miss Dallas’ gay Pride parade. Chris Heinbaugh, Leppert’s openly gay chief of staff, told Instant Tea that Leppert has a “longstanding personal commitment” on the day of the parade, Sept. 19.
Leppert, a political conservative, surprised some when he appeared in the parade his first year in office. He became only the second Dallas mayor ever to appear at gay Pride, after Laura Miller. Leppert missed the parade in 2008 due to a family matter, but attended the parade again last year.
Heinbaugh declined to elaborate on Leppert’s “personal commitment” this year. Heinbaugh said he believes all 14 of the other council members, with the exception of Vonciel Jones Hill, have said they plan to appear in the parade this year.
Last year, all but two council members, Hill and Carolyn Davis, were at Pride.
I’ll reluctantly give the mayor the benefit of the doubt, but it’s disappointing. It’s curious that Mr. Leppert also had a personal commitment when the President–you know, the leader of the free world–arrived at Love Field recently. The way I see it, representing Dallas at both of these events is part of the mayor’s job description.
Benefit of the doubt? What’s to doubt? It’s an open secret that Leppert is running for U.S. Senate in 2012. Appearing in the pride parade like greeting the president at Love Field is not going to help him win the Republican Primary. You don’t have to be a conspiracy theorist to figure that one out.
Leppert doesn’t want to be seen with gays or Obama because it’d ruin his Right Wing Street Cred-important if he’s going to unseat KBH in ’12. He’s spent his time as Mayor protecting the powerful, making money for the Good Old Boys, and screwing over the rest of us. Don’t let any of this surprise you.