Heitkamp Quietly Signs On To Bill Expanding Workplace Protections To Homosexuals

Senator Heidi Heitkamp is backing federal legislation that would create a protected class for homosexuals, but she doesn’t seem to want anyone to know about it:

WASHINGTON — Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.) has signed on to cosponsor the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would expand workplace protections to LGBT individuals.

Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) introduced the bill in the Senate on April 25, and with the inclusion of Heitkamp, there are now 49 cosponsors.

Heitkamp quietly signed on as a cosponsor June 7, with no public notice. A Democratic aide confirmed Heitkamp’s inclusion to The Huffington Post. Her office did not immediately return a request for comment.

Indeed, there’s no mention of the move on Senator Heitkamp’s official website or her official Twitter account.

Regardless of one’s position on this issue – personally I find the idea of discriminating against gays reprehensible, but I’m suspicious of creating protected classes under the law – but shouldn’t a politician be open about what policies they’re supporting?

If Heitkamp supports this, let her make the case for it to her constituents instead of hiding her support for the legislation.