The move comes as a slew of new Super PACs have raised millions of dollars in anticipation of next year’s presidential and congressional races.
Tom Prichard, Minnesota Family Council president, had dismissed anti-amendment Republicans as “social liberals,” saying their opposition to the gay marriage ban isn’t newsworthy.
Last week, Republican Rep. Mary Kiffmeyer of Big Lake said that if she couldn’t get her bill to require photo identification at the voting booth passed into law, she would seek a constitutional amendment. She made good on that promise Wednesday when she and 33 other Republicans introduced a measure that if passed would put the issue on the ballot in 2012.
When the National Organization for Marriage and the Minnesota Family Council spent hundreds of thousands of dollars on ads promoting a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage and civil unions last fall, the groups should have reported those expenditures, according to a complaint filed with the Minnesota Campaign Finance and Public Disclosure Board earlier this month. The complaint, which focuses on ads launched throughout the 2010 campaign cycle in support of gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer, asks for financial penalties as well as an audit of NOM’s spending in Minnesota.
“I stand with you,” was the message Gov. Mark Dayton had for LGBT advocates on Thursday afternoon at OutFront Minnesota’s LGBT Lobby Day at the Minnesota Capitol. Dayton was the first sitting governor to address the annual rally, which has been held for more than a decade. Dayton said he will block any efforts to curtail LGBT equality.
On the first day of the legislative session, the Republican majority in the Minnesota House voted down an amendment to the rules that would put fixing the state budget deficit before any constitutional amendments. The rule, offered by Rep. Paul Thissen (DFL-Minneapolis), was referred to the Rules Committee for further consideration by a vote of 74 to 60. DFL Rep. Ryan Winkler of Golden Valley criticized the vote as an indication that the Republican majority may prioritize delving into divisive social issues over fixing the budget deficit.
On Monday, the Minnesota Family Council and several GOP lawmakers held a press conference announcing their intent to push for a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, civil unions and domestic partnerships in Minnesota. MFC warned that same-sex marriage could…
As promised by the Minnesota Family Council and other fundamentalist religious leaders, a constitutional amendment banning legal recognition of same-sex relationships was offered on Wednesday by a bipartisan slate of legislators.…
When state legislators want to make major changes to law, sometimes they put the law to the voters to decide. This year, they’re asking Minnesotans where we stand on issues like guns, health care and labor unions. There’s even a bill to ask the voters whether the state Constitution should be amended to change the way Minnesota amends the Constitution.
Tuesday’s election brought advocates for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality a few steps closer to making gains in the Minnesota Legislature while Minnesota sent a less supportive delegation to Congress. While there is much for them to celebrate, advocates say the path to equality is still an uphill battle. “Change” is on the lips of everyone post election, but what kind of change can LGBT Minnesotans expect at the local and national level?
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