Marriage Equality

From the Family Research Council: Republican Utah Sen. Mike Lee is urging the 12 Republican senators who voted for the so-called Respect for Marriage Act to oppose cloture on the legislation unless his amendment is added to the bill. “The free exercise of religion is absolutely essential to the health of our Republic,” the senator wrote in a “Dear Colleague” letter first obtained …

The New York Times reports: The Senate on Wednesday afternoon will hold a crucial test vote on legislation to provide federal protections for same-sex marriage, with proponents in both parties expressing fresh hope that they had at least 10 Republican votes necessary to break a Republican filibuster and move it through the 50-50 chamber. In the wake of midterm elections …

The Associated Press reports: Staring down the prospect of divided government in the next Congress, Senate Democrats are moving forward with legislation this week to protect same sex and interracial marriages. It’s a vote that’s “as personal as it gets,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said. Schumer is holding a test vote on the bill Wednesday, betting that at least …

The Salt Lake Tribune reports: In an unexpected move Tuesday, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints gave its support to a proposed federal law, which recognizes all legal marriages, including ones between same-sex partners. The Utah-based faith’s doctrine “related to marriage between a man and a woman is well known and will remain unchanged,” according to a statement …

Semafor reports: Democrats will put the bipartisan Respect for Marriage Act up for a vote this week just days after the midterms, according to a Senate aide. Earlier this month, Semafor reported that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer intended to pass the Respect for Marriage Act by year’s end and that it was expected to have enough votes. This legislation, …

From a column published today by the Daily Caller: Early voting in the midterm elections is underway. While the economy and abortion rights loom large in the minds of voters, polling shows that marriage equality is actively emerging as a key issue with suburban voters. Republican support for the Respect for Marriage Act (RMA) could very well maximize the impact …

Jezebel reports: Per Oz’s campaign website, the rally will take place at 7 p.m. at Ironstone Ranch on the Stone Gables Estate in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The estate—which also features the popular wedding venue, Star Barn Village—prohibits same-sex marriage due to the owner David Abel’s religious beliefs. The venue’s website states that it “reserve[s] the right” to restrict events that …

South Carolina’s Post & Courier reports: Gov. Henry McMaster said he’d support South Carolina’s voided bans on same-sex marriage if the U.S. Supreme Court ever overturned its 2015 ruling that guaranteed that right to gay couples nationwide. The statement came during the only debate between McMaster and his challenger, Democrat Joe Cunningham, as the governor made clear he still disagrees …

The Associated Press reports: Serious, standing upright and dressed in long gala dresses – despite the midday Cuban heat – Lisset and Liusba quietly walk up the ten steps of the notary office, their hands clenched and shaking. Less than a few feet ahead walk their two young daughters. Nearly an hour later, when they walked out of the doors, …

Via press release: GLAAD, the world’s largest LGBTQ media advocacy organization, is releasing two urgent new ads about the stakes for LGBTQ Americans in the upcoming midterm elections, including the threat to marriage equality, to urge LGBTQ people and allies to vote. GLAAD created the 30-second spot “Marriage Threat” in collaboration with Family Equality. The ads premiere October 12th with …

ABC News reports: Video of a landmark 2010 trial that cleared the way for gay marriage in California can be made public, the culmination of a years-long legal fight. The Supreme Court announced Tuesday that it would not intervene in the dispute over the recordings, leaving in place lower court rulings permitting the video’s release. The trial more than a …

Changing America reports: Senators that don’t support the Respect for Marriage Act or are undecided on the bill could find themselves in a tough spot come November, with voters in key battleground states more likely to support candidates that have backed the measure to codify same-sex and interracial marriage. Majorities of voters in nine states – Alaska, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri, …

The Deseret News reports: As the Senate considers legislation to protect same-sex marriage, a new poll shows nearly three-fourths of Utahns support legal same-sex marriage. The new Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics survey found 72% of residents agree that marriages between same-sex couples should be recognized by the law as valid, with the same rights as traditional marriages. The poll …

Law & Crime reports: Kim Davis, the former county clerk from Kentucky who refused to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples after marriage equality was the law of the land, does not have qualified immunity, a federal court of appeals ruled on Thursday. Davis violated the “clearly established” rights of two couples – David Ermold and David Moore; and James …

The BBC reports: Cuba has voted to legalise same-sex marriage in a national referendum. About two-thirds of the population voted to approve reforms in a new Family Code, which will also allow surrogate pregnancies and give gay couples the right to adopt children. It marks a big moment for Cuba, which saw gay people persecuted and sent to work camps …

Reuters reports: Cubans will cast ballots this Sunday on whether to approve a new ‘family code’ that would legalize gay marriage and boost women’s rights, with the government urging citizens to vote “yes” despite anger over the worst economic crisis in decades. The Communist-run government – long the vanguard of Latin America’s left – has in the last week flooded …

Politico reports: The Senate won’t vote on protecting same-sex marriage until after the midterm elections, said the bill’s chief sponsor, Tammy Baldwin. “I’m still very confident that they bill will pass but we will be taking the bill up later, after the election,” the Wisconsin senator said after a Democratic caucus lunch. Democrats had planned to hold a vote as …

Real Clear Politics reports: Justice Clarence Thomas who wrote that the high court “should reconsider” past rulings that relied on a legal doctrine known as “substantive due process” to codify rights to contraception and same-sex marriage. When RealClearPolitics asked if the Supreme Court should revisit those cases, Griswold and Obergefell in particular, Pence parted company with Thomas. “I have enormous …

Politico reports: Chuck Schumer said the Senate would vote on legislation to protect same-sex marriage in the coming weeks, forcing Republicans to take a stance ahead of the midterm elections. “A vote on marriage equality will happen on the Senate floor in the coming weeks,” the Senate majority leader told reporters Wednesday. Schumer’s announcement comes as Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) …

The Texas Tribune reports: U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz said he will vote against a bill to codify same-sex marriage protections into federal law, ahead of a potential showdown in the Senate over one of the few remaining Democratic priorities expected to get a vote before the midterm elections. On an episode of his podcast Tuesday, Cruz said the bill would …