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Karger Alleges CPAC Discrimination

Gay, Jewish Republican candidate threatening legal action

by
Stephanie Butnick
January 24, 2012
Newt Gingrich with Fred Karger on January 06, 2012.(Photo by Matthew Cavanaugh/Getty Images)
Newt Gingrich with Fred Karger on January 06, 2012.(Photo by Matthew Cavanaugh/Getty Images)

One month after being excluded from the Republican Jewish Coalition’s forum for presidential hopefuls, openly gay Republican candidate Fred Karger says his request for a booth at the Conservative Political Action Conference was ignored. Karger, who was profiled by Michelle Goldberg in Tablet last April, told the website Buzzfeed that he is considering filing a discrimination claim:

“If I am not allowed to rent a booth at CPAC’s Trade Show this year, I plan on filing a formal complaint under Washington DC’s Human Rights Act,” he said. “The Act was established in 1977 to protect all individuals from discrimination under its Public Accommodations’ section. The Act clearly states that it is unlawful to deny any person the full and equal enjoyment of facilities.”

Stephanie Butnick is chief strategy officer of Tablet Magazine, co-founder of Tablet Studios, and a host of the Unorthodox podcast.