NOM, Family Council register to begin fundraising for marriage battle
Wednesday, June 01, 2011 at 8:30 am
- 12 Comments
The National Organization for Marriage and the Minnesota Family Council have registered with the state campaign finance board to actively encourage voters to support an anti–gay marriage amendment on the 2012 ballot. The organizations are the target of an investigation by the Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board following a complaint that both groups failed to disclose lobbying efforts in the 2010 election.
MFC and NOM created Minnesota for Marriage and registered it as a ballot question committee late last week, a designation that will allow it to begin fundraising. John Helmberger, CEO of the Family Council, is listed as the chair of Minnesota for Marriage as well as its treasurer.
Brian Brown, head of the National Organization for Marriage, registered as a lobbyist with the campaign finance board in early May, less than two weeks after the Minnesota Independent reporting on a pending investigation with the board over alleged lobbying violations.
Common Cause Minnesota filed a complaint with that board this spring alleging that a series of ads put out by MFC and NOM violated lobbying rules. The MFC allegedly violated the rules by failing to disclose spending on ads that urged constituents to contact their legislators in an effort to get an anti–gay marriage amendment on the ballot in 2012. Common Cause also alleged that NOM should have been registered as a lobbyist when it ran ads along with MFC.
And on May 6, Brown registered as a lobbyist in Minnesota.
The Associated Press also notes that the Minnesota Catholic Conference, the policy wing of the Roman Catholic church in Minnesota, is also involved in the Minnesota for Marriage effort.
Minnesotans United for All Families, the coalition of organizations that oppose the amendment, has not registered with the board, but OutFront Minnesota, the lead group in that coalition has registered as a ballot question committee.
Follow Andy Birkey on Twitter12 Comments
Comment posted June 1, 2011 @ 9:00 am
That’s right folks, donations to the American Taliban are now tax-deductible. Al Qaeda must be so proud.
Praise Jebus, God hates a secular state, Amen.
Comment posted June 1, 2011 @ 9:04 am
If NOM does not intend to comply with MN state law, that out-of-state hate group should be banned and not allowed to send any funds to MFC and such.
Comment posted June 1, 2011 @ 9:43 am
Money from the pews is the way to get what money wants. Disguise the tithe.
Good thing the money isn’t going to food shelves or something sympathetic.
Jeff Wilfahrt, Rosemount, MN
Comment posted June 1, 2011 @ 6:11 pm
Thats Right Suckers of MN…..Give Brian Brown and fatass Maggie Gallgher (her maiden name)….for someone that fights to Keep Marriage away from LGBT Tax paying citizens, it interesting NO-One ever asked that Cow how come she doesn’t USE her Married name? …or wear her Ring..? ..Ohhh the Sanctity!!!! Still 17mon. away…and the HAte and Bigotry Take an Early Leap forward….woohoo MN, what have you rought? Those 2 hate Mongers..Gallagher and Brown will have Made THEIR Money off the backs/and Integrity of MN..and Laughing ALL the Way to the Bank watching $$$ ..with MN in their Rear-View Mirrors….Broken….shamed,and ON the Wrong Side of History…and Now pit neighbor against neighbor…feeling Hurt-Never to be healed…..and for what..???? Really………. gay people ARE MARRIED, THEY CAN GET MARRIED…now, what does MN what kind of Reputation does MN want in History? George Wallace’s or MLK Jr’s??
Comment posted June 1, 2011 @ 6:26 pm
Noooo!!!! A right wing Hate group guilty of lobbying violations??? Who’d a thunk ?? Transparency People!! Open your frikkin’ books !!!!!
Comment posted June 1, 2011 @ 8:25 pm
I see NOM isn’t even trying to hide the fact that their coalition is one church seeking to impose their faith on all Minnesotans and another group that can’t make an argument without calling names. Such lovely company they keep.
Comment posted June 1, 2011 @ 9:34 pm
A potentially useful fact about NOM’s Maggie Gallagher: she had a child out of wedlock.
Comment posted June 5, 2011 @ 8:24 am
NOM and the Catholic church are partnering with the only registered MN hate group to spend millions persecuting Gay citizens and enshrining discrimination into OUR Constitution by abusing their majority status. Their hostilities towards these Americans is an ugly legacy of hate, violence and inequality. They waste these millions while Minneapolis leads the country in declining home prices, breath taking foreclosures, rising poverty, rising unemployment, rising property taxes, rising health care cost, hunger, poverty, homelessness, a toxic political environment that’s in gridlock and an impending shutdown in light of our 5 billion dollar deficit. Their lack of leadership and focus on the overwhelming problems facing every day Minnesotans is immoral.
Comment posted June 5, 2011 @ 1:44 pm
@Rusty, well put. I’d like to hear the Archdiocese of St. Paul justify aligning with a hate group. Lot’s of convoluted theology required I’ll bet.
Praise Jebus, God hates Love, Amen.
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