The striking speech, at an event marking the anniversary of a hate crimes law named for Matthew Shepard in the Justice Department’s ornate Great Hall, drew a standing ovation from an audience that included department attorneys.
«We find it interesting and hypocritical that (Barr) would invite us to this event commemorating a hate crime law named after our son and Mr. Byrd, while at the same time asking the Supreme Court to allow the legalised firing of transgender employees», said Cynthia Deitle, the programs and operations director of the Matthew Shepard Foundation, referring to James Byrd Jr., a black man killed by white supremacists in 1998.