Republican blasts his own party for push to turn some Kentuckians into ‘second-class citizens’

Bob Heleringer, a former Republican state representative from Kentucky, is calling out members of his own party for their new legislation targeting the LBGTQ community.

In an editorial published by the Courier Journal, Heleringer ripped Kentucky Republicans for new legislation that restricts drag shows and gender-affirming care for transgender minors, which he said amounted to making LGBTQ Kentuckians "second-class citizens."

"I wish I could blame both political parties for this cataclysm but I cannot," he charged. "Every anti-gay/trans bill this session was introduced by a Republican."

Heleringer also pointed the finger at Kentucky Republicans such as Sens. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) and Rand Paul (R-KY), whom he believes have reservations about the proposed bills but are too fearful of Republican primary voters to speak up.

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In particular, he said that Paul's libertarian leanings should make him a natural to speak out against legislation that discriminates against LBGTQ Americans.

"Sen. Rand Paul champions 'freedom' and 'liberty' and keeping the heavy hand of government out of our lives," he writes. "Does he really believe in maximizing individual freedom or is he “a clanging gong and a noisy cymbal” that tacitly condones a glaring exception based on sexual orientation?"

Read the whole editorial here.