Ask the Scholar
Document scope · 1 page
Scholar
Ask about this object, its catalog metadata, its source description, or the page inventory.
For page-specific OCR and visual context, open one of the page chats.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
209205384
label
Folder #3 [Note from Roger W. Johnson, GSA [General Services Administration] Administrator, Re: Exchange with Senator Helms
core
doc
dtoType
document
citationUrl
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
209205384
contentType
document
title
Folder #3 [Note from Roger W. Johnson, GSA [General Services Administration] Administrator, Re: Exchange with Senator Helms
citationUrl
collections
Records of the Office of Staff Secretary (Clinton Administration)
President Has Seen Files
imageCount
1
hasImages
yes
source
import
hasTranscription
no
Source extras
naId
209205384
levelOfDescription
fileUnit
otherTitles
42-t-7422172-20061363F-Seg2-003-037-2019
recordType
description
ocrSource
nara-archive
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
document
mediaId
0550b6d41e03fbf9
ocrText
FOIA Number: 2006-1363-F
FOIA
MARKER
This is not a textual record. This is used as an
administrative marker by the William J. Clinton
Presidential Library Staff.
Collection/Record Group:
Clinton Presidential Records
Subgroup/Office of Origin:
Staff Secretary
Series/Staff Member:
President Has Seen Files
Subseries:
OA/ID Number:
20387
FolderID:
Folder Title:
Folder #3 [Note from Roger W. Johnson, GSA [General Services Administration] Administrator, Re:
Exchange with Senator Helms]
Stack:
Row:
Section:
Shelf:
Position:
S
40
7
11
6
Administrator
General Services Administration
Washington, DC 20405
WJC HANDWRITING
August 26, 1993
The President
The White House
Washington, DC
Dear Mr. President:
I thought you would be interested in this exchange
between myself and Senator Helms. I believe he should not
be allowed to attack with impunity!
Sincerely
Roger W Johnson
cc:
The Vice President
David Gergen
Mack McLarty
The First Lady
Federal Recycling Program
Printed on Recycled Paper
Administrator
General Services Administration
GINIRAL SERVICES
Washington, DC 20405
ADMINISIRATION
August 25, 1993
The Honorable Jesse Helms
United States Senate
Washington, DC
Dear Senator Helms:
In your letter to me of August 3rd, you said you did not "know my personal
feelings". I would normally let a letter such as your's just pass, but in this case, the depth
of your condemnation of the President combined with your insensitivity to other's rights
would, in my view, make me negligent and hypocritical if I did not respond.
I am in complete support of the thoughts and responsibilities expressed by Aki K.
Nakao, Acting Regional Administrator of GSA in San Francisco. Further, I find your
letter not only offensive but against everything I believe in. It is my view that America
needs all her children, black or white, male or female, gay or straight, liberal or
conservative, to contribute to their ultimate capability and that those entrusted with her
policies must strive to create an atmosphere consistent with this goal. I am dedicated to
that purpose, and thank God, so is our President.
Fortunately, Sir, you are but a single Senator expressing the last vestiges of what I
consider to be a narrow, mean spirited, divisive philosophy. I am encouraged, however,
that such views are increasingly in the minority.
But even so, you hold an office that commands my respect and therefore if you
wish I'll be pleased to discuss this situation further at your convenience.
Sincerely,
Roger W Johnson
Federal Recycling Program
Printed on Recycled Paper
JESSE HELMS
h
Ridua NURTHICAROLINA
-d
we
8/6/93
United States Senate
WASHINGTON, DC 20510-3301
August 3, 1993
The Honorable Roger W. Johnson
Administrator
General Services Administration
18th and F Streets, N.W.
Washington, D.C. 20405
Dear Mr. Johnson:
The enclosed correspondence is self-
explanatory, and my reaction to the
pusillanimous letter from your San Francisco
office is: Horsefeathers!
I don't know your personal feelings but
this sort of thing is precisely a main reason
why Mr. Clinton is held in such low esteem
and therefore, thank goodness, will be a one-
term president. The question is, can America
survive 3 1/2 more years of such disgraceful
conduct?
Sincerely,
Jesse Helms
JESSE HELMS:b
Enclosure
1993 JUL June -6 28th 1993
The Honorable Jesse Helms
Attention: Wayne Boyles
SD-403 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-3301
Dear Senator Helms:
The purpose of this letter is to describe to you my treatment by the
office of the General Services Administration at 300 N. Los Angeles
Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012.
On June 7, 1993, the GSA office put up "Gay and Lesbian Pride Month"
banners in the Federal Building lobby. I and many of the people I work
with find these banners and what they represent morally offensive.
Therefore, I called GSA to present a group complaint.
During my call, Mr. Mike Wirtz of the GSA office attempted to find out
what agency I work for. I believe that this information is irrelevant
to our complaint, and would serve Mr. Mike Wirtz only to try to get us
in trouble with our agency for the purpose of preventing future
complaints by Federal employees. You see, GSA serves as a "general
manager" to other agencies housed in the Federal Building.
It is improper for Federal agencies to appear to support one political
philosophy over another. It is even more improper for a Federal agency
to attempt to chill the free speech of Federal employees through
employment-based retribution.
This letter is a followup to our telephonic conversation. I greatly
appreciate your interest in this matter, and look forward to hearing
from you.
Sincerely,
William A.Ragers
William A. Rogers
3816 Beethoven Street, No. 102
Los Angeles, California 90066-4159
General Services Administration, Region 9
525 Market Street
San Francisco, CA 94105-2799
demites ween
1993 AUG -3 AM IO: 33
JUL 27 1993
The Honorable Jesse Helms
United States Senator
ATTN: Wayne Boyles
SD-403 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510-3301
Dear Senator Helms:
This responds to your communication dated July 7, 1993, wherein you requested
the General Services Administration's (GSA's) findings and views regarding a
letter your office received from one William A. Rogers of Los Angeles,
California. In early June, Mr. Rogers contacted GSA's Los Angeles Federal
Building office to voice his displeasure over the display of banners in the
lobby noting Gay and Lesbian Pride Month in Los Angeles. Mr. Rogers asserts
his belief that GSA sought to obtain the name of his employer in order effect
retaliation against him for voicing his complaint.
Mr. Rogers may rest assured that GSA did not have any intention of retaliating
against him or any of his like-minded fellow workers. GSA put the banners up
only after consulting with the agencies which occupy space in the Building,
and fully anticipated that the banners might not be universally well received.
In fact, GSA has received complaints regarding all kinds of banners, such as
those signifying Black History Month, Hispanic Heritage Month, Asian/Pacific
Islander Month, etc. GSA's request for identification was intended only to
ascertain whether Mr. Rogers worked in the Building, and for the purpose of
referring him to his agency's facilities coordinator if he did.
Finally, I must take exception to Mr. Rogers' proposition that "It is improper
for Federal agencies to appear to support one political philosophy over
another." The Federal Government was constituted to support a political
philosophy valuing liberty, justice, and equality. It is GSA's position that
promoting the values of tolerance and diversity in the workplace is a valid
extension of that philosophy, and the display of banners and co-sponsorship of
cultural and educational activities in Federal Buildings is a means by which
GSA promotes these values.
Sincerely,
rAki K. Nakao
Acting Regional Administrator (9A)
Federal Recycling Program
Printed on Recycled Paper