Appearing Thursday on CNN, Kentucky
Senator Rand Paul clarified comments he made the day before about
LGBT workplace protections.
When asked Wednesday at a campaign
event whether he was okay with LGBT people being fired over their
sexual orientation or gender identity, Paul, a candidate for the
Republican presidential nomination, answered that “things you do in
your house” should not be “part of the workplace.”
(Related: Rand
Paul: LGBT people should remain closeted at work.)
Democratic presidential candidate
Hillary Rodham Clinton responded by tweeting a GIF of herself from
Tuesday's Democratic debate in which she smiles, then says “no.”
She captioned the GIF: “The feeling when a GOP candidate says it's
acceptable to be fired for being gay.”
Paul denied the claim, telling CNN host
Wolf Blitzer that he believes that sexual orientation is a personal
matter that is not relevant to employment.
“I don't think anybody should be
fired for being gay,” Paul
said. “I do also, though, believe that your personal life
should be personal and shouldn't affect anyone firing you. So, I
don't think the decision to hire or fire you should be based on
things from your personal life.”
Paul went on to state that he believes
LGBT workplace protections should be decided at the state level.