March 7, 1993

PAT ROBERTSON'S CHRISTIAN COALITION DENIES TIE TO IDAHO
CITIZENS ALLIANCE

The Idaho Statesman

Reprinted without permission

     The Christian Coalition, a national organization
founded by televangelist Pat Robertson, is not "tangibly
linked" to the Idaho Citizens Alliance or other groups
pushing anti-gay legislation, the coalitions's executive
director said Saturday.
     But gay activists say otherwise. And even the
coalition's director, Ralph Reed, admits there are
connections.
     Lon Mabon, former head of the Oregon Citizens
Alliance and now head of the U.S. Citizens Alliance,
serves on the board of the coalition's Oregon chapter.
     And Kelly Walton, chair of the Idaho Citizens
Alliance, says he helped found the coalition's Idaho
chapter.
     "We allow our independent state organizations to
determine their own boards,"  Reed said.  "Our members
can serve in other groups."
     But Reed said that while the coalition opposes
"special rights" for homosexuals, the group's top
legislative priorities are educational choice, stopping
the Freedom of Choice Act and promoting family tax
relief.
     "Almost never is the Coalition involved in any
operational mode to facilitate the passage of anti-
special-rights referenda," Reed said.
     Reed and Mabon acknowledge, however, that the
coalition contributed at least $20,000 last year to the
Oregon Citizens Alliance's unsuccessful effort to pass
Measure 9.
     Both Reed and Walton said the coalition had not yet
pledged verbal or financial support to the Idaho Citizens
Alliance effort.

                                        --Kim Eckart