***At the time this statement was released, the author relied on initial reports that were later shown to be factually inaccurate. John Gore represented the University of North Carolina which, despite originally being party to the HB2 lawsuit, did not defend the law on its merits and asked to be dismissed from the lawsuit. As such, this statement is retracted.***

Washington, D.C. — Mere hours after being sworn in as president, the Trump administration announced that John Gore—the attorney who represented the state of North Carolina’s higher education system in the anti-transgender H.B. 2 law in court—has been appointed to a top post in the Department of Justice’s Civil Rights Division. Vice President for the LGBT Research and Communications Project Laura E. Durso issued the following statement:

President Donald Trump promised to “protect our LGBTQ citizens” during his campaign, but today, he appointed John Gore—the attorney who defended North Carolina’s anti-transgender H.B. 2 law in court until just last week—to the Department of Justice’s, or DOJ’s, Civil Rights Division. The DOJ Civil Rights Division is tasked with upholding the civil and constitutional rights of all Americans by protecting our voting rights; investigating abuses in the criminal justice system; and working to end discrimination in schools, workplaces, and the public square. It is deeply alarming that the administration’s choice to be a part of this division has virtually no civil rights-related experience beyond defending discriminatory gerrymandering and state-mandated discrimination against transgender North Carolinians. Gore’s appointment raises serious questions about whether Trump’s DOJ will defend the civil rights of LGBT people and all those vulnerable to discrimination.

For more information on this topic or to speak with an expert, contact Tom Caiazza at ‮g​r​o​.​s​s​e​r​g​o​r​p​n​a​c​i​r​e​m​a​@​a​z​z​a​i​a​c​t‭ or 202.481.7141.