Tag Archives: Ken Mehlman

Equality

GOP Leaders File Amicus Brief Supporting Marriage Equality

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In what can only be interpreted as a visible sign of progress, several prominent Republicans have filed an Amicus Brief to the Supreme Court stating that they support marriage equality for the whole United States.

Here’s the story from Time magazine…

More than 300 veteran Republican lawmakers, operatives and consultants have filed a friend of the court brief at the Supreme Court in support of same-sex marriage late Thursday.

The amicus brief, organized by former Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman, was filed for the four same-sex marriage cases the Court will hear on April 28 that could legalize the unions nationwide. In 2013, Mehlman marshaled a similar effort for the case that overturned California’s Proposition 8, which had banned same-sex marriage in the state.

Among the signatories are 23 current and former Republicans members of the House of Representatives and Senate and seven current and former Governors. Sens. Susan Collins and Mark Kirk have signed onto the brief, as has Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker and former Utah Gov. Jon Huntsman. Other notables include former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, retired Gen. Stanley McChrystal and billionaire GOP mega-donor David Koch.

The 2013 brief included 131 signatures, featured many former top aides to Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney, including his general counsel and two senior advisors. The list has now grown to 303 signatories.

Next Gen party voices like MSNBC host Abby Huntsman, columnist Meghan McCain and political commentator S.E. Cupp, along with many top-level staffers from Mitt Romney’s 2012 Presidential campaign also join the brief.

Noticeably absent from the signers are any members of the Texas Congressional delegation, or even any former elected officials from the state.  Republicans vying for the Presidency in 2016 like Rand Paul or Chris Christie are also nowhere to be found.

Yet still, this is a welcomed show of strength and bravery for those that were willing to sign on.  They clearly get the message that the Republican Party must move past marriage equality if they expect to be a competitive national force in the future.

But in the end, the fate of marriage equality still rests at the foot of the Supreme Court to decide.  Let’s hope they settle this issue in the United States once and for all this summer.

LGBTQ Nation has a copy of the Amicus Brief.

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GOProud Ex-Director Axes GOP, Cites Bigotry

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If anyone needed further proof that the most current iteration of the GOP is in utter crisis, it’s definitely arrived today. Jimmy LaSalvia, former Director of GOProud– one of the most prominent organizations in the country for openly LGBT Republicans– has now parted ways with the national party. Directly from his blog…

Today, I joined the ranks of unaffiliated voters. I am every bit as conservative as I’ve always been, but I just can’t bring myself to carry the Republican label any longer. You see, I just don’t agree with the big-government ‘conservatives’ who run the party now.

The other reason I am leaving is the tolerance of bigotry in the GOP. The current leadership lacks the courage to stand up to it – I’m not sure they ever will.

I have worked hard to help to create an atmosphere on the right where conservatives can openly support gay Americans and even support same-sex marriage. In that effort, we have won, but there is more work to do to root out the anti-gay and other forms of bigotry in the party.

So I changed my voter registration today – “No Party.”

LaSalvia’s comments today can hardly be seen as a surprise, given the recent backlash against he and former GOProud founding member Christopher Barron’s decision not to support Ken Cuccinelli in the Virginia Gubernatorial election. Several writers on the

Even if expected, this is still a significant blow to the GOP… one that the party itself may not even comprehend yet. After all, there are FAR more LGBT members of the Republican Party than any of its leadership probably realize. They are dedicated, motivated volunteers, staff members for political campaigns, right-hand men and women of aspiring politicians, and serving the party infrastructure at critical points all the way from your hometown school board up through the Speaker of the House. People like Ken Mehlman were even considered to be “king-makers of the party.

But unlike their Democratic counterparts, these bright and talented individuals in the GOP are facing a glass ceiling. They continue to be passed over for party members that will appeal to the rapidly-dwindling Religious Fringe. The talent pools that developed leaders like Tammy Baldwin, Ed Murray and Annise Parker are not available to them. As a result, the party continues to throw some of its best potential out of the window.

I for one dream of the day when sexual orientation or gender identity will no longer be fodder for politics. But until that day comes, I wonder if GOProud can ever be truly proud of the organization it represents? Taking cues from people like LaSalvia, I guess not.