Same-sex marriage foe vows to renew push for amendment

Posted at 1:00 PM on February 26, 2013 by Jon Collins (3 Comments)
Filed under: MN Legislature, Marriage Amendment

Policast for Feb. 26, 2013:

In a week where a bill legalizing same-sex marriage is expected to be introduced at the state Capitol, National Organization for Marriage President Brian Brown said GOP lawmakers who support it will face electoral repercussions.

"We are committing a half a million dollars to the effort to support Democrats who support traditional marriage and to oppose Republicans who betray principle and their constituents," Brown said on MPR's Policast on Tuesday.

Brown said NOM's effort is a reaction to "big-money lobbyists" supporting same-sex marriage who have been "promising financial support and also threatening" Republican lawmakers across the country.

Republican leaders in both the state Senate and House have said they won't take any action against lawmakers who vote in favor of legalizing same-sex marriage. Sen. Branden Petersen, R- Andover, has said he'll likely support a bill when it's introduced.

Brown said his group wants Petersen's constituents to know the stance he's taken.

"All we're doing is making sure that those constituents know what Mr. Petersen and others have done," Brown said. "And if he chooses to support same-sex marriage, I'm very confident, given that his constituents actually did support the marriage amendment, that he won't be re-elected."

NOM spent about $2 million trying to pass a constitutional amendment that defined marriage as between one man and one woman in Minnesota. Voters rejected the amendment in November.

Overall more than $18 million was spent on the amendment campaign. Opponents spent more than $12 million while supporters spent about half that.

"The campaign was won by simply telling lies," Brown said. "One of the lies was that there was no threat of same-sex marriage, that's now coming home to roost."

Brown said his group supports another push for a constitutional amendment defining marriage in Minnesota.

"Clearly, Minnesota needs a constitutional amendment. The reality is that without it, judges could redefine marriage," Brown said. "In Minnesota, unfortunately, the amendment did not pass. But you still need an amendment; we will still push for it."

On Wednesday's Policast, we'll hear from a supporter of legalizing same-sex marriage in the state.

Policast is a daily roundup of Minnesota political news. The entire interview with National Organization for Marriage President Brian Brown can be heard in the Tuesday, Feb. 26 episode.

Comments (3)

I would be much more likely to vote against a legistlator That supports a marriage amendment. I voted against the marriage amendment in November and will vote against a legistlator that supports a law limiting marriage to one man and one woman. I will be very unhappy to see our archdiocese contributing to support such a law.

Posted by linda | February 26, 2013 2:22 PM

Mr Peterson's constituents will see that he is both intelligent and courageous and re elect him. Time to join the adults in the room and understand that you can't turn your religious law into Minnesota law. History has passed you by. Please spend the money however, the ad agencies, media companies, etc need the business and that qualifies as a Reopublican jobs program.

Posted by mike savick | February 27, 2013 10:03 PM

The spelling "legistlator" is a first, and even repeated in the first comment! Of course, people are at liberty and welcomed to vote their way. What matters is the sum of votes, once constituents are well informed that same-sex marriage will continue to haunt them until an amendment is passed. Legistlators can be both intelligent and courageous and nevertheless misrepresent their constituency. We might be accused of not being adults or left behind Ms History (a silly anthropomorphism), but we are voters who set history to our making as all voters have the right to try. Our legislative system allows senator and representatives to decide for us, but pending re-election - that is, facing Mr. Reality. Now they will see "the writing on the wall". I will inform my friends in Minnesota. >

Legistlator ! You've made my day.

Posted by Precioso | February 28, 2013 3:06 PM

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