Harry Reid "wholeheartedly supports" ENDA

As I noted below, there are currently 38 sponsors of the newly introduced Employment Non-Discrimination Act. Majority Leader Harry Reid isn't a sponsor. I know he's supportive of LGBT equality, so I checked with his office to find out if there's a reason he's not listed as a sponsor. There is a valid explanation. As Majority Leader, Reid rarely sponsors bills. There are exceptions for emergency legislation. But, as a rule, he doesn't. His office did confirm, "he wholeheartedly supports the bill, will vote for it and will fight hard for the votes to get it passed."

So, in the Senate, that gives us 39 confirmed supporters, including the Majority Leader.

The Senate voted on ENDA (sexual orientation only) in 1996. The roll call for that vote is here. You'll see several of the Democrats who voted yes in 1996 are still serving, but haven't cosponsored the 2009 bill including: Baucus (MT), Conrad (ND), Dorgan (ND) and Kohl (WI). That's not to say they'll vote yes this time, but they are on-the-record.

The only Democrat who voted no in 1996 still serving is Robert Byrd from West Virginia (but, he rarely votes these days.) Besides Snowe and Specter, none of the Republicans who voted yes are still around.

We're starting to narrow down our Senate targets. Read More...

CT AG gives initial answer on defending marriage law. He's "monitoring" the situation.

Nice work by Paul Sousa.

Yesterday, Paul announced an action to get Connecticut's Attorney General to defend the state's marriage law in federal court. The action had no sooner been announced when the AG responded:

"We are monitoring Massachusetts' action and listening to views and opinions expressed by advocates on all sides of the issue,'' Blumenthal said in an email.

Massachusetts AG Martha Coakley last month filed a suit challenging the DOMA. Blumenthal said that lawsuit would "resolve the key legal issues with binding effect and significant ramifications for every state and citizen across the country -- whether or not Connecticut or any other state becomes a party."

Okay, that's a lot of legalese. Blumenthal needs to act. Not talk. And, we're not asking for much here.

Check out the Paul's website and participate next week. Our allies in Connecticut need to be more aggressive. That includes the members of the Congressional delegation. Read More...

A challenge to the California firm running the anti-marriage campaign in Maine. Play by Maine's "fair campaign" rules.

Schubert Flint Public Affairs, the California-based firm that ran the Prop. 8 campaign, is running the campaign
 in Maine to repeal the state's new same-sex marriage law. But campaigns in Maine aren't like campaigns in California. So, the campaign manager for No on 1/Protect Maine Equality has issued a challenge to Frank Schubert: Run a civil campaign in the tradition of Maine politics. (A copy of the letter is below.) The letter was also sent to Marc Mutty. In addition to his role in the anti-marriage campaign, Mutty is the spokesman for the Bishop of Maine, who has already contributed $100,000 to the anti-marriage effort.

Today, Schubert will be asked to sign an agreement on fair campaign practices:

Based on 2008 MAINE CODE OF FAIR CAMPAIGN PRACTICES (21-A M.R.S.A. § 1101(2))

We shall conduct our campaign and, to the extent reasonably possible, insist that our supporters conduct themselves, in a manner consistent with the best Maine and American traditions, discussing the issues and presenting the record and our positions with sincerity and candor.

We shall uphold the right of every qualified voter to free and equal participation in the election process.

We shall not participate in and we shall condemn defamation of and other attacks on any opposing individuals or parties that we do not believe to be truthful, provable and relevant to our campaign.

We shall not use or authorize and we shall condemn material relating to our campaign that falsifies, misrepresents or distorts the facts, including, but not limited to, malicious or unfounded accusations creating or exploiting doubts as to the morality, patriotism or motivations of any party or candidate.

We shall not appeal to and we shall condemn appeals to prejudices based on race, creed, gender, sexual orientation or national origin.

We shall not practice and we shall condemn practices that tend to corrupt or undermine the system of free election or that hamper or prevent the free expression of the will of the voters.

We shall promptly and publicly repudiate the support of any individual or group that resorts, on behalf of our campaign or by our opposition, to methods in violation of the letter or spirit of this code.

In essence, this is a challenge to the California consultants to run a fair and decent campaign. And, the Bishop of Maine needs to live up to those principles, too. No "lying for the lord" this time around.

Between the Catholic Church, the National Organization for Marriage and the Mormons, the anti-marriage forces are going to have all the resources they need. Help us win in Maine. Donate to the campaign here. ActBlue makes it easy and safe. The contributions go directly to the campaign. We'll see if the other side agrees to play fair. But, we'll still need money to win.


The letter is after the break.

Here's the letter from Jesse Connolly to Frank Schubert (click for larger image):
Read More...