Member Is Ousted From AIDS Group

A countywide group that distributes federal money for AIDS- and HIV-care services has expelled a member they say erroneously accused the group of wrongdoing in letters to the media and political officials.

Members of the Ventura County HIV Care Consortium voted unanimously Wednesday to oust Claire Connelly, president of The Resource Center in Camarillo, from the umbrella group. The consortium’s executive committee recommended the action last month.

Edie Brown, the consortium’s chairwoman, said after the vote that Connelly “has her own private agenda and the consortium doesn’t want to hear it anymore.”

Brown said the group’s directors were upset over letters Connelly had sent to area newspapers and Rep. Elton Gallegly (R-Simi Valley) alleging financial improprieties by the consortium. “She was accusing the consortium of violating its own funding rules,” Brown said.

Brown said a recent internal audit of all the agencies that receive funds from the consortium indicated that Connelly’s claims of financial misuse were false.

Connelly attributed her removal to the influence of gay activists in the consortium.

“The gay caucus is trying to diminish the role of The Resource Center and my role in the gay community,” said Connelly, who had long been at odds with Brown and others in the area’s community of gay activists.

Connelly has contended that it is improper for the gay-oriented groups in the consortium to receive public funding to fight AIDS. “I don’t think it is healthy for the gay civil-rights movement to be identified with AIDS,” Connelly said.

Brown denied that the consortium ousted Connelly because of a division in the ranks of gay activists.

“The consortium is not a gay group and AIDS is not a gay disease,” Brown said. “The consortium needs to get back to the needs of our HIV-infected community.”