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By
SHERRI M. OKAMOTO, Staff Writer
The
Beverly Hills Bar Association has formally objected to the site selected for
the annual meeting of the State Bar and Conference of Delegates.
Beverly Hills Bar Association President Nancy Knupfer told the MetNews
yesterday that she is sending a letter on behalf of the organization to State
Bar President Holly Fujie requesting a change in
venue based on the hotel owner’s support of the constitutional amendment
banning same sex marriage.
Los Angeles County Bar Association President Dannette
E. Meyers said that the delegation members of her organization were discussing
“what they want to do” in response to the upcoming meeting at the Manchester
Grand Hyatt San Diego yesterday as well.
Both organizations had submitted amicus letters asking the
Supreme Court to review the validity of Proposition 8, which the hotel’s owner,
Manchester Financial Group’s Chairman Doug Manchester, reportedly contributed
$125,000 to support.
‘Clear’
Position
Knupfer said that her organization’s position
on Proposition 8 “has been very clear,” adding that the fact that the amendment
passed into law “doesn’t mean that it’s right.”
In her letter to Fujie, a copy of
which was provided to the MetNews, Knupfer wrote that her association “views the right of same
sex partners to marry as an important issue of civil rights in the continuum of
rights gained by American minorities since the Declaration of Independence.”
She noted that the Conference of Delegates had passed a
resolution expressing its support for equal marriage rights and its condemnation
of Proposition 8 at last year’s conference, and that the Beverly Hills Bar
Association delegation had voted in favor of that resolution.
“Our leaders are dismayed
to learn that the State Bar Conference will be held at a location whose ownership—despite
supporting the repudiation of basic human rights—would profit from our
members,” Knupfer wrote. “The very idea of that would
certainly cause pain to many of our members.”
Knupfer added that she personally will not stay
at the
The president also voiced concern that many members would
boycott the event entirely.
The hotel has been the target of a boycott organized by
Californians Against Hate, a non-profit organization
devoted to drawing attention to the major donors to the Yes on 8 campaign,
since July.
Change
Advocated
“I support the boycott of the hotel,” he said, “and I believe
that the State Bar should as well.”
Given the controversy surrounding the issue of same-sex marriage
and that the Supreme Court has not ruled on the issue, Meyers said that she
personally was “really disappointed” that the State Bar “has not taken some strides,
at least publicly, to say ‘Let’s work this out.’”
Meyers suggested that the State Bar consider holding the
conference of delegates meeting in the nearby convention center, which it had
done in the past, or find another location “where the issue isn’t there,” and
the owner was “neutral” in the Prop. 8 campaign.
State Bar Deputy Executive Director Robert Hawley explained that
the meeting venue was “not something that is going to change quickly,” because
“any number of considerations that have to be given to it.”
Hawley said that the State Bar has made, and will make its
decisions “based upon business prudence as opposed to any ideological
preference, whatever it may be.”
Watson called for the State Bar to disclose the potential
financial impact for moving the conference and every other alterative they have
considered.
“It was and remains my firm conviction that it is simply
unconscionable to have an event there.,” he said.
“That the State Bar apparently believes it is acceptable to do so is a real
problem.”
The Global Hyatt Corporation, which manages the hotel, issued a
statement yesterday that the “personal donation of $125,000 by a private
citizen who happens to be the owner…does not represent Hyatt Hotel Corporation
or our views or actions.”
It maintained that it is “steadfastly committed to diversity in
the workplace and welcoming all communities into our hotels,” touting its
status as a supporter and partner of the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against
Defamation and the International Gay Lesbian Travel Association, provision of
domestic partnership benefits to its employees, and sponsorship of the San
Diego Pride in 2007.
Media representatives for the Manchester Financial Group could
not be reached for comment.
Additional holdings of the
San Diego-based corporation, founded in 1970, include the San Diego
Marriott Hotel & Marina, downtown San Diego’s First National Bank building,
the La Jolla Bank & Trust Building, the Manchester Business and Research
Park, Manchester Executive Centre, Manchester Financial Building, and Grand Del
Mar luxury resort and golf course. It also owns a luxury golf resort and
private residence community in
The State Bar and Conference of Delegates meetings are scheduled
to take place Sept. 10-13.
Copyright
2009, Metropolitan News Company