In the wake of the 2012 election where three states legalized same-sex marriage, a fourth state refused to ratify a ban into law, and the President of the United States was reelected by a large margin, dozens of Republicans are speaking out against Proposition 8.
To show their solidarity to supporting gay marriage, these Republicans have banded together to prepare and submit a brief to the Supreme Court asking for California's Prop 8 to be declared unconstitutional. This brief comes a week after the legal team seeking to overturn Prop 8 filed a brief pushing for a national ruling, rather than a California-only decision from the court.
Republicans signing on to the brief include:
- Former Utah governor Jon Huntsman Jr.
- Former California governor Meg Whitman, who supported Prop 8
- Former New Jersey governor Christine Todd Whitman
- Former Massachusetts governor William Weld
- Former Massachusetts governor Jane Swift
- Former Republican National Committee chairman Ken Mehlman
- Republican strategist Steve Schmidt, who worked on John McCain's 2008 Presidential Campaign
- Rep. Richard Hanna (R-NY)
- Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL)
These Republicans are in contrast to Speaker John Boehner and the House Republicans, who have spent $3 million defending DOMA, the federal law banning recognition of same-sex couples. Several Republican lawmakers have doubled-down on anti-gay marriage rhetoric, despite polls moving in the opposite direction.
The Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on DOMA and Prop 8 in late March. Rulings in both cases are not expected until June.
Like what you read? You can follow me on Facebook.
Comments