We thought we wouldn’t hear of James Hormel again, but we were wrong. Last year, the league opposed his nomination as U.S. Ambassador to Luxembourg because he refused to dissociate himself from his earlier embrace of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a west coast anti-Catholic group. We were delighted when his nomination failed to go anywhere in the Senate and the Clinton administration withdrew his name. But now President Clinton has reintroduced his nomination.
When Hormel’s name was resubmitted, the league sent letters to all members of the Senate asking them not to affirm his appointment. Whether Hormel’s name will ever surface for a vote is uncertain; in today’s political climate, anything is possible. But it just goes to show the tenacity of the Clinton administration, and it is no surprise why: Hormel is one of the most generous donors to the coffers and causes that this crowd has ever seen. Naturally, this means nothing to us, and that is why we will not let up on him.
For the record, our objection to Hormel does not center on his sexual orientation; our concern is purely related to his prejudices. Remember, Sen. Tim Hutchinson gave Hormel a chance to clear his name, and he failed to do so.
