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American Morning

Bush's Faith-Based Initiative Faces Controversy

Aired July 10, 2001 - 09:22   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
DARYN KAGAN, CNN ANCHOR: We have a story developing out of Washington and the White House concerning President Bush's faith-based initiative.

Let's go to Major Garrett at the White House.

Major, it sounds like a bit of a controversy could be brewing here.

MAJOR GARRETT, CNN WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Indeed, Daryn.

The real question is: Is the Bush White House using the faith- based initiative to in any way subvert or change the way the faith- based organizations hire people? The essential question is: Would faith-based organizations with the Bush administration support be allowed to discriminate against homosexuals in hiring?

All of this was generated by this story this morning -- front page lead story in "The Washington Post." You can see the headline: "Charity Cites Bush Help Against -- Bush Help in Fight Against Hiring Gays." And the question is about the Salvation Army.

"The Washington Post" obtained a document from the Salvation Army in which it -- the Salvation Army says in exchange for politically supporting the faith-based initiative, which is a very top priority of this president, it hopes and has recommended to the Bush White House that it change regulations dealing with its ability to discriminate against hiring homosexuals, not against delivering services of any kind to homosexuals, simply in hiring.

Now, why has this issue become a controversy? Well, at the federal level, federal law already protects the Salvation Army and many other religious organizations from having to hire people that it believes would conflict with its own religious character. But states and municipalities have a different attitude, and lately, more states and more localities have been either writing ordinances or state laws forbidding just that kind of discrimination.

What the Salvation Army wants is a regulation at the federal level that would protect it, would shield it, would allow it to continue to discriminate against homosexuals because they believe that would injure or weaken its essential mission, which it believes is theological and religiously rooted. Now, the president of the United States left on Marine One from the South Lawn this morning. As he was about to do so, his press secretary, Ari Fleischer, came out. CNN had the opportunity to throw several questions at Ari Fleischer about this story.

Now what you're going to see in this videotape is Ari Fleischer answering a series of questions from this reporter. There is a considerable amount of noise in the background from Marine One, the chopper's motors are running. But I asked Mr. Fleischer, first of all, if, in fact, the White House had agreed with the Salvation Army and made some sort of political deal and also whether or not, in any way, that deal violated or undermined federal law?

Here's what Mr. Fleischer had to say.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

ARI FLEISCHER, WHITE HOUSE PRESS SECRETARY: ... going to fully comply with the civil rights laws and the faith-based legislation as passed by the Judiciary Committee, with hardly any Democrats voting against it, fully complies with civil rights laws.

GARRETT: What about the underlying deal with the Salvation Army, then? (INAUDIBLE) regulation for political support?

FLEISCHER: Oh no, absolutely not.

GARRETT: ... no arrangement with the Salvation Army (INAUDIBLE)

FLEISCHER: Never happened. Never happened.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

GARRETT: To the question was there a political deal with the Salvation Army, Mr. Fleischer said absolutely not. I asked him later: Did the Salvation Army misinterpret the White House's position on this regulatory change? He said, yes, they have, and they have been so advised -- Daryn.

KAGAN: So, Major, where does this all stand now?

GARRETT: Well, it's a developing story. We are going to spend the better part of the day checking back with the Salvation Army and "The Washington Post" story. They were very clear saying there was no misinterpretation. They believe that in exchange for supporting the faith-based initiative, both with money and their own advertising budget, they would receive this change in federal regulatory policy.

We're still working the story. We'll find out more as the day continues -- Daryn.

KAGAN: All right. Major, we will cut you loose so you can go work some more on the story and we'll check back with you later.

Major Garrett at the White House. Major, thank you.

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