Vice President Mike Pence, who said in 2000 that he was in favor of sending money allocated to care for people with HIV/AIDS to organizations that provide gay conversion therapy, failed to mention the LGBTQ community in his World AIDS Day speech for the second year in a row.
The Democratic National Committee blasted Pence in an email, listing some of the lies he told, and some of the truths he forgot to mention:
THE LIES HE TOLD
Pence boasted about the success of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS program, despite the fact the Trump administration diverted funds from the program to offset the costs of its family separation policy.
Pence celebrated the 15th anniversary of PEPFAR, calling it “one of the most successful investments in health care and humanitarian aid in American history,” while Trump's budget proposal slashed the initiative's funding.
Pence claimed Trump brought a “renewed energy and focus” to the battle against HIV/AIDS.
I mean, come on. [see below]
THE TRUTHS HE FORGOT TO MENTION
Trump fired the remaining members of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS after several members quit because Trump “doesn't care” about the issue.
Trump still hasn't appointed anyone to lead the White House Office of National AIDS Policy.
Trump announced the “Deploy or Get Out” rule, which could remove HIV+ military personnel from service.
Pence, while governor of Indiana, opposed a needle exchange program and exacerbated the local HIV/AIDS crisis.
