Eddie Bernice Johnson
The Washington Blade is reporting that Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson, D-Dallas, a staunch LGBT ally, has placed her chief of staff on administrative leave in response to an email he wrote about a gay staff member two years ago.
Murat Gokcigdem was placed on indefinite leave effective Monday, the Blade reports, after the LGBT newspaper obtained a copy of an email Gokcigdem wrote about staff member Christopher Crowe in 2010. Crowe died last year from a staph infection, but at the time he was one of four finalists to become special assistant to the undersecretary of budget and tax in the Treasury Department.
Crowe, who worked in Johnson’s office and headed the LGBT Congressional Staff Association, sought a letter of recommendation from Gokcigdem for the Treasury Department post. In response to Crowe’s request, Gokcigdem drafted an email to Johnson that he mistakenly sent to Crowe, according to the Blade.
Gokcigdem’s email said Crowe was underqualified for the Treasury Department and suggested he was only being considered by the White House post because he was gay.
“It is my personal belief that he has contacts there,” Gokcigdem wrote. “And they, as a group watching and supporting each other if you know what I mean.”
A spokeswoman for Johnson’s office didn’t immediately respond Monday evening to a request for comment from Dallas Voice.
You can read Gokcigdem’s full email about Crowe here.
Our initial reaction to this news is that we suspect there must be more to this story. It’s hard to believe that Rep. Johnson would suspend her chief of staff based on this email alone.
It’s also worth noting that today is the first day of early voting in the primary, and Johnson has two Democratic challengers. So the timing of this email being leaked to the Blade strongly suggests that it’s politically motivated.
Stay tuned to Instant Tea for updates.
Or it’s great timing to bring it up since it was covered up for 2 years?
Wow, it looks like it was written by someone with a 5th grade education. Apparently I’m in the wrong line of work and am overqualified for a job in the Hill.
Well Da Truth, this just goes to show you what Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson is: someone that takes action ONLY when caught. She only took action after the Blade got a copy of the e-mail. She saw no problem in making sure her relatives got scholarship funds — until she got caught. This says a lot about this self-serving woman.
I don’t know what’s worse. The fact that Johnson would be willing to recommend someone for an Executive branch job she didn’t think was qualified, or terminating a staffer for making what may or may not be a reference to gays supporting each other in the Treasury department. And there may be a little gay mafia in the Treasury department; Secretary Geithner is one hot daddy!
She got to go. IDC what LGBT issues she did, it’s time for some new blood and time for Price to go as well. Get out of your la-la land and get with the facts. What more must I say? https://www.dallasnews.com/news/community-news/dallas/headlines/20120515-fbi-seizes-more-money-from-dallas-county-commissioner-john-wiley-price.ece
Congresswoman has been an outspoken advocate for gay rights and I appreciate her swift action when this was brought to her attention.
As the article clearly reads to anyone with a first grade education, the message was sent to the staffer not to EBJ.
Of course there are countless organizations and networks that help us advance our goals and interests, so I can’t see where the email is innaccurate.
I suspect that this is all politically motivated.
Kelly – I guess you don’t have a first grade education. The message is addressed to Johnson and the salutation reads “Congresswoman”. Duhhhhh…. The real queston is why is Johnson so defensive? It’s not homophobic to refuse to recommend a gay employee you think is unprofessional. Truth is Johnson’s “lgtbt advocacy” is mostly propaganda, not reality.