Tag Archives: DOMA

Today In Cognitive Dissonance

The Obama administration filed court papers today saying that DOMA discriminates against gays, but that they must continue to defend it in court. Justice Department lawyers are seeking to dismiss a suit brought by a gay California couple challenging the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act. The administration’s response to the case has angered gay activists who see it as backtracking …

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Gay Activist Heckles Bill Clinton

Gay activist and blogger Lane Hudson heckled Bill Clinton about DADT and DOMA during Clinton’s speech at the Netroots Nation conference in Pittsburgh yesterday. Andres Duque has the full transcript of Clinton’s response, which he began by telling Hudson he’d fit in as one of the town hall screamers. Hey, you know, you ought to go to one of those …

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Proposed DOMA Repeal Would Force Full Faith And Credit Issue

A proposed repeal of DOMA floated by Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) would not include federal rights for couples in domestic partnerships and civil unions, but would force states to recognize same-sex marriages from other jurisdictions. The Bay Area Reporter: Congressman Jerry Nadler (D-New York), in an exclusive interview with the B.A.R. while attending the annual Human Rights Campaign gala in …

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Bill Clinton Supports Marriage Equality

Bill Clinton has come out in support of marriage equality. Via The Nation: After speaking at the Campus Progress National Conference in Washington, DC, on July 8, the former president was asked if he supported same-sex marriage. Clinton, in a departure from past statements, replied in the affirmative. Clinton opposed same-sex marriage during his presidency, and in 1996, he signed …

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Mass AG Files Federal DOMA Suit

Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley filed a lawsuit today challenging the federal government for denying equal benefits to the citizens of her state under DOMA. In March, Coakley expressed strong support for GLAD’s similar DOMA challenge, saying, “DOMA is a law that codifies discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. Because of this law, individuals in same-sex marriages often pay …

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Party Pooper

Press secretary Robert Gibbs says that there will be no new announcements of action on LGBT issues at Monday’s gay cocktail party at the White House.

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Despite Protests, DNC’s LGBT Fundraiser Yields Record $1M

Although protesters outside Washington DC’s Mandarin Oriental shouted, “Shame, shame!” and “Don’t go in!” last night’s DNC fundraiser netted $1M in donations. A long list of LGBT activists had also registered their discontent by simply declining to attend the dinner: activist David Mixner, former Clinton advisor Richard Socarides, millionaire Bruce Bastian, prominent Obama supporter Stampp Corbin, blogger Andy Towle, and …

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HomoQuotable – Rep. Jared Polis

“I’m a Democrat and a proud Democrat. Our party’s not perfect but certainly I will help the Democrats however I can. I did an event for Democrats for education reform Monday and if you figure our party has a ways to go on LGBT equality, we have even further to go on education reform where President Obama has been a …

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Howard Dean Drops Out Of DNC Event

Saying he has a “scheduling conflict,” former DNC chairman Howard Dean has dropped out of tomorrow’s LGBT fundraiser. The list is lengthening. John Aravois at Americablog reacts: It’s interesting that the very heterosexual Howard Dean is willing to take a stronger stand for civil rights than our own gay elected representatives, Barney Frank, Tammy Baldwin, and Jared Polis. That Howard …

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SLDN To Join DNC Fundraiser Protest

The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network joins the fray. SLDN will be outside boycotting the Democratic National Committee (DNC) LGBT event in Washington this Thursday. SLDN will be calling upon the President to end his silence on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” We will be wearing and handing out buttons with the number 265, representing the number of service members who will …

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HomoQuotable – Michelangelo Signorile

“But now, a cocktail party? No, that’s not business — it’s schmoozing and sucking up, and it’s all about buying off gay leaders by seducing them, very cheaply, so the White House can help get the money coming back in, since the DNC gay fundraiser for next week is collapsing. The response so far has only been about the money …

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DOJ To Meet With GLAD, Lambda Legal, Others Over DOMA Challenges

More reaction from the Obama administration. The DOJ has agreed to meet next week with Lambda Legal, Gay & Lesbian Advocates and Defenders (GLAD) and other LGBT orgs to “hash out how to proceed with pending DOMA cases.” Via Greg Sargent: The Obama Justice Department has reached out to major gay rights organizations and scheduled a private meeting for next …

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Signorile On Gay Anger At Obama

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People For The American Way Calls On Congress, President To “Dump DOMA”

People For The American Way has issued a call for Congress and the president to “Dump DOMA.” “During the campaign, then-candidate Obama spoke eloquently about the importance of ensuring that all Americans are treated with dignity and respect. He made specific pledges to pass hate crimes legislation, enact laws to prevent workplace discrimination, end Don’t Ask Don’t Tell and repeal …

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Barney Frank Flip-Flops On DOMA Brief, Now Says He Supports It

Sen. Barney Frank, who issued a criticism of the DOJ-DOMA brief two days ago, yesterday said that he spoke before reading the brief and now supports it. From his official site: “When I was called by a newspaper reporter for reaction to the administration’s brief defending the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act, I made the mistake of relying …

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Robert Gibbs On The DOMA Brief

ABC’s Jake Tapper asked White House press secretary Robert Gibbs about the DOMA brief and got a typically Gibbsian response. TAPPER: Does the president stand by the legal brief that the Justice Department filed last week that argued in favor the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act?GIBBS: Well, as you know, that the Justice Department is charged with upholding …

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GLAD Wins DOMA Passport Suit

Gay & Lesbian Advocates and Defenders have won their first DOMA-related suit, in which a married gay person will be allowed to list his or her changed name on their U.S. passport. GLAD filed its lawsuit, Gill v. Office of Personnel Management, in March to challenge section 3 of DOMA on behalf of six married same-sex couples and three men …

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Gay Congress Members On DOMA Brief

The openly gay members of Congress have all issued statements on the DOMA hate brief. Barney Frank (D-MA): “I think the administration made a big mistake. The wording they used was inappropriate. I’ve been in touch with the White House and I’m hoping the president will make clear these were not his views.” Frank says that the DNC fundraiser boycott …

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Dan Savage Has A Different Idea About LGBT Civil Disobedience

Dan Savage isn’t for or against the March On Washington, saying, “I’m officially agnostic: if people want to march, they can march.” But he offers up an additional or alternate idea for a protest that he thinks could have a great impact – and it would only require 730 people. Here’s the idea: one gay or lesbian couple—a couple currently …

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Olbermann On Limbaugh’s DOMA Rant

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