HRC - Newt Gingrich Evolves on Marriage Equality

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 20, 2012
Dan Rafter

Newt Gingrich Evolves on Marriage Equality

Gingrich – who oversaw the passage of the Defense of Marriage Act – urges GOP to stop fighting against marriage equality

Washington – In an interview with the Huffington Post, former Republican presidential candidate and House Speaker Newt Gingrich made remarks indicating he and other GOP leaders should embrace civil marriage equality – the latest sign of powerful momentum for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) equality this year. Gingrich served as Speaker of the House in 1996, when the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was passed into law.
 
“Newt Gingrich reflects the experience that has changed the minds of so many Americans in understanding that LGBT people are a part of every family and community – including his own,” said Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin. “His evolution resonates with people on a very personal level and is a quintessential example of why momentum is on the side of equality.”

Newt Gingrich is just the latest of those who once opposed marriage equality to evolve to a position of supporting the rights of gay and lesbian couples to marry. David Blankenhorn, the star witness against marriage equality in the Proposition 8 case, has had a similar change of heart. As another sign of progress, the Mormon Church, which was the largest funder of Prop 8, sat out this election cycle and remained silent in the four victorious marriage fights.

In addition to last month’s marriage victories at the polls, Americans are continuing to demonstrate their support for equality in overwhelming numbers. In fact, support for marriage has increased 21 percent in just eight years – a remarkable shift in public opinion over a short period of time. As more LGBT people share their personal stories, Americans – including an increasing number of Republicans like Gingrich – are joining the ranks of equality supporters. Former Vice President Dick Cheney, former First Lady Laura Bush, San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders, former Secretary of State Colin Powell, Ted Olson, former RNC Chair Ken Mehlman, and Paul Singer are among those in the GOP who support marriage equality.

“Gingrich’s recognition that Americans now overwhelmingly support marriage equality draws a sharp contrast with the few extremists continuing to fight against equality,” added Griffin. “Gingrich’s comments give other Republican leaders the room to do the right thing and embrace marriage equality – which is reflective of the fundamental conservative principles of freedom and individual liberty. The six million LGBT people who voted this election cycle, along with the decisive victories we secured across the board, make clear the direction in which our country is heading.”

The Human Rights Campaign is the largest national lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender political organization with members throughout the country. It effectively lobbies Congress, provides campaign support and educates the public to ensure that LGBT Americans can be open, honest and safe at home, at work and in the community.

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MILESTONE FOR LGBT EQUALITY: Prop. 8, DOMA Will Have their Day in Court

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 7, 2012
Paul Guequierre

MILESTONE FOR LGBT EQUALITY:

Prop. 8, DOMA Will Have their Day in Court

Supreme Court to hear constitutional challenges to discriminatory marriage laws

WASHINGTON – The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, today heralded the news that the Supreme Court would hear the Hollingsworth v. Perry case challenging California’s Prop. 8 and the Windsor challenge to the discriminatory ban on federal recognition of married same-sex couples known as the Defense of Marriage Act, or DOMA.

Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin – who also co-founded the American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER), which is the sole sponsor of the Perry lawsuit – released the following statement:

“Today is a milestone day for equal justice under the law and for millions of loving couples who want to make a lifelong commitment through marriage.  The passage of Proposition 8 caused heartbreak for so many Americans, but today’s announcement gives hope that we will see a landmark Supreme Court ruling for marriage this term.  As the Court has ruled 14 times in the past, marriage is a fundamental right and I believe they will side with liberty, freedom and equality, moving us toward a more perfect union as they have done in the past.

“Proposition 8 has been already been declared unconstitutional in Federal District Court and the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.  Now the Supreme Court has an opportunity to do the same and send a resounding message of hope to LGBT young people from coast to coast that they have the same dignity and same opportunities for the future as everyone else.  I believe our cherished constitutional principles will win the day and that the court will uphold the fundamental right that all Americans can marry the one they love. 

“We are also thrilled that the pernicious and ridiculously named Defense of Marriage Act will have its day in court.  I am confident that the Justices will find this law patently unconstitutional and the federal government will get out of the business of picking which marriages it likes and which it doesn’t.

“The real heroes today are the brave plaintiff couples who willingly put their lives on trial in order to secure protections for their families and others like them.  Our country owes a debt of gratitude to Kris Perry and Sandy Stier along with Jeff Zarrillo and Paul Katami, Edie Windsor and the rest of the couples, individuals and organizations that stood up to discrimination.  The Perry case also showed that the old partisan divides are crumbling with the legal team of Ted Olson and David Boies coming together in arguing the case.

“With our wins at the ballot box last month and the fight for marriage equality reaching our nation’s highest court, we have reached a turning point in this noble struggle.  We will continue the fight until the promise of our Constitution is realized for every single person in every single corner of this vast country.”

The Human Rights Campaign is America’s largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

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Dispatch - Apartment buildings planned for Jeffrey site in Italian Village

By  Mark Ferenchik

The Columbus Dispatch Wednesday December 5, 2012 8:42 AM

The Jeffrey Mining site, long fallow after more than a decade’s worth of attempts to fully develop it, should see signs of life with the coming of spring.

But the Italian Village Commission wants Wagenbrenner Development to tweak its designs for Jeffrey Park before it begins to build 261 rental units on the northern part of the property at N. 4th Street and E. 1st Avenue.

“We are still seeing things that make it appear a little bit like a development rather than a small urban neighborhood” as promised, said Benjamin Goodman, a commission member.

Wagenbrenner plans to build 12 three- and four-story buildings on the former industrial site north of Downtown. One building will have 80 units; another, 74.

Last month, the commission approved the apartments on the condition that Wagenbrenner address seven items at its Dec. 18 meeting, including breaking up first-floor railings with brick walls and other materials, developing plans for lighting and landscaping, creating a variety of distinctive signs and building alleys that resemble those in the neighborhood.

More here

Advocate - 8 Top Prospects for Expanding Marriage Equality

8 Top Prospects for Expanding Marriage Equality

Washington and Maryland residents can start applying for marriage licenses on Thursday (though they'll have to wait before it's official), which inspired us to imagine where equality might spread next, not counting the cases already pending Supreme Court review. 

More here

HRC - “Marriage Voters” Take Center Stage in 2012 Votes

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: December 3, 2012
Charles Joughin 

“Marriage Voters” Take Center Stage in 2012 Votes

Research indicates a “sea change” as new high-intensity voting bloc committed to marriage equality comes to the polls in force in historic election.

WASHINGTON – Nearly a month after nationwide elections delivered historic victories for marriage equality across the country, the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights organization, released a polling report showing a new, pro-marriage equality voting bloc drove ballot measure victories in Maine, Maryland, Minnesota and Washington.

“This year, our adversaries tried to use marriage equality to whip up their anti-equality base and divide the American people. It didn’t work, and this new report indicates it won’t work in the future,” said HRC President Chad Griffin. “Elected officials and decision-makers would be well-served by reviewing this research because it suggests a new, pro-equality American majority is here to stay.”

In addition to confirming the decisive role played by LGBT voters, the report also makes a clear case for the emergence of a group of voters of all stripes who cast their ballot specifically on the issue of marriage equality. Self-identified Obama Voters, Democrats and Liberals were all significantly more likely than their conservative counterparts to rate marriage equality as important to deciding their vote for President. And nationwide, voters supported marriage equality by an 11 percent margin—a landslide compared to President Barack Obama’s margin of re-election.

In states where marriage equality was on the ballot, the trend was just as clear:

Maine:

• The pro-equality campaign secured a 12 point net swing since marriage equality was last on the ballot in 2009, driven in part by increased support among from Catholic voters (up 11 percent since 2009), independents (up 14 percent), and seniors (up 3 percent).

Washington:

• A full 54 percent of Washington voters approved marriage equality in 2012 after first voting to affirm domestic partnerships in 2009. Though support for equality was up in most groups, this year’s victory was driven by a 16 percent jump in support among independent voters.

Maryland:

• Growing support among African American voters was a major story from Maryland. A majority of African American women voted to bring marriage equality to the Free State and support for equality in majority-African American communities like Prince George’s County (nearly 50 percent) and Baltimore County (57 percent) won the day.

Minnesota:

• In Minnesota—just like in the other three states—young voters and Democrats made up the bulk of the pro-equality coalition. Yet increased support in unlikely groups helped to tamp down the anti-equality vote: 44 percent of voters aged 50-64, 23 percent of Romney voters, and 45 percent of non-college voters cast their ballots to stop discrimination from being enshrined in Minnesota’s constitution.

The full memo on the survey is available at: http://www.hrc.org/files/assets/resources/ExitPollSurveyAnalysis.pdf
More on HRC’s electoral victories is available at: www.hrc.org/election
The polling report, commissioned by the Human Rights Campaign and produced by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, contains an analysis of exit polls from Maine, Washington, Maryland and Minnesota as well as results from a survey of 1,001 voters nationally who participated in the 2012 election. The survey was conducted between November 5th and 7th, 2012 among those who had already voted or were almost certain they would vote in the 2012 election and carries an overall margin of error of +/- 3.10.

The Human Rights Campaign is America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.

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