California Legislature STATE CAPITOL SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA March 10, 2015 Craig Holden President, Board of Trustees State Bar of California 845 S. Figueroa St. Los Angeles, CA 90017-2515 Dear Mr. Holden, ‘We are writing to file a formal complaint with the State Bar of California in regards to Matthew G, McLaughlin (State Bar Number: 198329), author of the “Sodomite Suppression Act.” As you may know, Mr, MeLaughlin submitted a ballot initiative that would outlaw sodomy and punish offenders with “death by bullets to the head or by any other convenient method.” In addition to calling for the execution of gays and lesbians, Mr. McLaughlin wants to ban anyone “who espouses sodomistic propaganda” from holding public office, and from receiving government benefits or being employed by the state, Furthermore, anyone caught disseminating “sodomistic propaganda” to minors would be fined “$1 million per occurrence, and/or imprisoned up to 10 years, and/or expelled from the boundaries of the state of California for up to life.” We are shocked and outraged that a member of the State Bar would so callously call for the disenfianchisement, expulsion and murder of members of the LGBT community. We believe that this measure not only fails constitutional muster, but that such inciting and hateful language has no place in our discourse, let alone state constitution. It is an outrage that shadows all of the progress we have made to ensure that all Californians are afforded the same rights and protections under the law. According to the State Bar's moral character requirement for admission, members are expected to demonstrate “good moral character” through showing “respect for and obedience to the law, and respect for the rights of others and for the judicial process.” Furthermore, the Rules of Professional Conduct of the State Bar of Calilomia, Section 2-400, stipulate that licensed practitioners are prohibited from discriminating based on sexual orientation, among other protected classes, LGBT Caucus Letter Page 1 of 2As members of the California State Legislature and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Caucus, we have spent most of our personal and professional lives combating bigotry wherever it lies, While we believe that this measure may not qualify for the statewide ballot, we cannot in good conscience stand idly by. ‘We call upon the State Bar of California to fully investigate Mr. McLaughlin’s provocative and potentially unethical actions and to mete out appropriate corrective action, Sincerely, 'GGMAN TONIG. ATKINS 13" District Speaker of the Assembly gislative LGBT Caucus Chair, Calife CATHLEEN GALGIANI RICARDO LARA Senator, 5" District Senator, 33" District Ge MARK LENO RICHARD S. GORDON Senator, 11" District Assemblymember, 24" District EVANLOW Assemblymember, 28" District LGBT Caucus Letter Page 2 of 2