Today, HRC released a letter from the nation’s leading civil rights organizations calling on President Donald Trump and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary John F. Kelly not to appoint controversial Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke as an Assistant Secretary in the Office of Partnership and Engagement at the DHS.

The letter is signed by executives from the Anti-Defamation League, Human Rights Campaign, The Leadership Conference, Muslim Advocates, National Council of La Raza, and National Urban League, who make clear that "Clarke’s record as Milwaukee County Sheriff and his history of incendiary and hateful statements make him unfit to serve in this role, as does his connection with antigovernment extremist groups."

Clarke has a long and expansive anti-LGBTQ record. He said that the Supreme Court’s ruling to legalize marriage equality nationwide would result in a conservative revolt against President Obama’s “socialist agenda.” He condemned Democrats and advocates for calling on sensible gun safety measures; following the tragic shooting at Orlando’s Pulse Nightclub that took lives of 49 people. He said on his right-wing podcast that transgender people “suffer from mental disorders” and “live freakish lifestyles”  and said a supportive mother of a transgender elementary school student was guilty of "child abuse."

See the full letter and list of signatures here.