WASHINGTON - The Human Rights Campaign - the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization - in partnership with Georgia Equality and other national and local organizations, will hold a press conference on Tuesday, April 26, 2011, at 11:00 a.m. to call attention to the hypocrisy of the law firm of King & Spalding for taking up the legal defense of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) on behalf of U.S. House Republican leaders. HRC President Joe Solmonese will join local leaders in speaking out on K&S's decision.

King & Spalding's own website touts diversity policies and benefits aimed at recruiting and retaining LGBT attorneys. But the firm will represent Congress at the rate of $520 an hour in taxpayer dollars to argue that they're right to deny federal recognition and over 1,000 rights and benefits to legally married same-sex couples. Firms are rightly judged on the cases they voluntarily take on and history will not be kind to K&S's decision to defend institutionalized discrimination.

DOMA at its core is intended to perpetuate systematic legal discrimination against an entire class of Americans solely because of their sexual orientation. The effect of K&S's efforts, if successful, would ensure that the federal government is able to continue denying recognition to same-sex couples which includes Social Security survivor benefits, health care for spouses of government employees or even the ability for spouses to be buried together in veteran's cemeteries.

WHAT: Press conference calling out King & Spalding for its defense of the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act with taxpayer dollars

WHEN: Tuesday, April 26, 2011, 11:00 am

WHERE:Corner Park, 15th and Peachtree (one half block north of King & Spalding Offices)

WHO: Joe Solmonese, HRC President
Jeff Graham, Georgia Equality Executive Director
Georgia families affected by DOMA
Law students from local universities
Other speakers to be announced

The Human Rights Campaign is America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.