NOM Goes After DC Marriage Architect

NOM is opposing the reelection of openly gay Washington DC City Councilman David Catania, who authored the bill that legalized same-sex marriage in the nation's capital. Via Metro Weekly:

NOM is supporting Rev. Anthony J. Motley for the 2010 City Council election to de-seat gay Councilmember David Catania (At-Large), author of the bill that made marriage equality a reality in Washington. Motley has accepted two campaign contributions from NOM, and another from the Committee to Elect Delano Hunter. Hunter is running for a seat to represent Ward 5. He has also been supported by NOM. ''Obviously we're interested in electing candidates that will support traditional marriage and allowing voters of D.C. the right to have their say on the issue,'' Brian Brown, executive director of NOM, says. ''Rev. Motley does.'' Motley could not be reached for comment as of Friday, March 12.Local gay activist Bob Summersgill says he's not concerned that Motley will put up much of a fight against Catania, who is seeking reelection. Still, Summersgill adds, it's important to raise awareness about the origin of Motley's funds and what those contributions mean for LGBT residents of the District.

Records show that NOM has contributed twice the legal limit to Motley's campaign, which they are calling an oversight.

DC's First Licensed Gay Couple

HRC Back Story reports that Angelisa Young and Sinjoyla Townsend, a couple for 13 years, were first in line to get their marriage license in Washington, DC this morning. Marriages commence in three business days. DC Councilman David Catania, the sponsor of the bill, will be on hand all day to give out cupcakes to the couples in line. Congratulations to all on this historic day in our nation's capital!

DC Mayor Adrian Fenty Signs Marriage Equality Bill (In A Church!)

Moments ago, Washington DC Mayor Adrian Fenty signed the city's historic marriage equality bill. Above, Fenty hands openly gay City Councilman David Catania the pen used to sign the bill Catania sponsored.

In a raucous signing ceremony at a northwest Washington church, Mayor Fenty officially legalized same-sex marriage in the District, distributing ceremonial pens among the Council members standing behind him. The law now will go through a period of review consisting of 30 days in which Congress is in session. If the law passes that hurdle -- as is widely expected -- the first gay marriages in the District could take in late winter or early spring of 2010.

The ceremony at All Souls Unitarian Church -- one of many in the city that supported the legislation -- opened with comments by Fenty, Council chairman Vincent Gray, and Council members Phil Mendelson, David Catania and Jim Graham. In his opening remarks, Fenty recalled that when his own parents were married, many states would have refused to recognize their bonds. Fenty's father is black, while his mother is white. "Today an era of struggle ends for thousands of D.C. residents," he said. "Our city is taking a leap forward." Sponsoring Council member David Catania (I-At Large) opened his comments with a little family history recalling how his ancestors had moved from Massachusetts to Kansas to try and swing an election and prevent it from becoming a slave state. "So there's a tradition of troublemaking in my family, and a deep and abiding understanding of civil rights," Catania said.

Congratulations Washington DC! And thank you Mayor Fenty and Councilman Catania!

Tweet Of The Day

From NOM's site:

The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) released the following statement today in response to the D.C. Council’s passage of a same-sex marriage bill: "The people of D.C. have a right, guaranteed by the charter, which is D.C.'s constitution, to vote to protect marriage. Politicians on the city council are acting as if they have the right through legislation to deprive citizens of D.C. of their core civil right to vote, but we will not let them get away with it," said Brian Brown, Executive Director of NOM. "We have one message for David Catania and the rest of these politicians today: this fight is not over. We will go to Congress, we will go to the courts, we will fight for the people’s right to vote and we will win!"

DC Approves Same-Sex Marriage

UPDATE: DC marriage approved by 11-2! The bill now goes to Mayor Fenty for his promised immediate signature. Congratulations to all and BIG thanks to out gay Councilman David Catania.

The Washington DC City Council will make its final vote legalizing same-sex marriage at any minute. Watch live here. Photo via Chris Geidner @ Twitter.

PhoboQuotable - Star Parker

"According to DC's HIV/AIDS office, three percent of the local population has HIV or AIDS. The Administrator of this office notes that this HIV/AIDS incidence is "...higher than West Africa...on par with Uganda and some parts of Kenya." And the principal way that HIV is transmitted continues to be through male homosexual activity. Amidst this dismal picture, the DC City Council, perhaps on the theory that serving up another glass of wine is the way to help a drunk, is scheduled to vote on December 1 to legalize same sex marriage in America's capital city. Looking at realities in Washington, DC should make clear why George Washington said 'Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports.' [snip]

"The Catholic Archdiocese of DC announced that legalization of same sex marriage would make it impossible to continue its relationship with the DC government and require termination of the social services it provides to some 68,000 of the city's poor -- including about one third of its homeless. The reaction of DC council member David Catania was essentially 'so what.' According to him, 'their services are not indispensable.' Is Catania out of touch with the needs of DC's poor? No. He just has different priorities. More important to him, and more important to DC's left wing city council, is advancing moral relativism and the indulgences it feeds. This is more important to them than feeding the poor or recognizing the values that would get them out of poverty. It should concern every American as we watch our nation's capital city transform officially into Sodom." - Wingnut commentator Star Parker, telling the readers of Townhall that same-sex marriage will cause more AIDS.

Marriage Bill Passes DC Committee

HRC Back Story reports that Washington DC's marriage equality bill has just passed in committee by a vote of 4-1. The bill now goes to the full DC city council on December 1st for an initial vote before final passage, which is expected to take place before the end of the year. Go DC!

NOM's Brian Brown Vs. Openly Gay DC Councilman David Catania

Via MetroWeekly's YouTube channel:

Brown argues that heterosexual marriage is a rare ''human good'' while gay and lesbian unions are not the same, and that heterosexuals are best for children. Then he insinuates that he and others with such hetero-is-best beliefs are victims of unfair ''bigot' labeling. Later, after extensive review of his organization's funding and the questionable behavior of its board members, Brown insinuates that he is then the victim of ''religious bigotry.''

Catania FTW.

DC Marriage Bill Introduced

Openly gay DC City Council member David Catania today introduced his marriage equality bill, which will considered for a vote later this month. Catania's bill would eliminate the city's domestic partners registration effective January 2011.

(Via - MetroWeekly)

DC Marriage Bill Coming Next Week

A bill to legalize same-sex marriage in Washington DC will be introduced on Tuesday by openly gay city council member David Catania.

After months of buildup, D.C. Council member David A. Catania (I-At large) announced Wednesday evening he would introduce his proposal to legalize same-sex marriage in the District at Tuesday's council meeting. Catania made his announcement before 150 gay rights activists gathered in Shaw for a rally featuring the Rev. Eric P. Lee, president of the Los Angeles chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. "We are going to do it now," Catania told the crowd. "We are going to do it now, not for ourselves, but for the young people who are 20 years-old, 16-years-old, 13-years-old." According to a copy of the bill, the city code would be changed to state "marriage is the legally recognized union of two people" and "any person ... may marry any other eligible person regardless of gender." Catania's bill, which states religious organizations and officials have the right not to participate in same-sex marriages, is expected to pass the council easily when it comes up for a vote around Thanksgiving. Ten of 13 council members will co-introduce Catania's bill Tuesday, and Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D) has pledged to sign it.

After approval by the DC city council, the bill will have to get past Congress, who has final say in local legislation. Catania says he's reached out to the White House for support and that their response has been "very good."

Marriage Equality In DC "Assured"

The Washington DC City Council is poised to introduce its marriage equality bill later this month with an "assured majority" of council members as co-sponsors.

[Openly gay] D.C. City Council member David Catania (I-At Large) is expected to introduce a bill to allow same-sex marriages to be performed in the District before month’s end, according to sources familiar with Catania’s plans. The sources, who spoke on condition that they not be identified, said Catania told local activists he would drop his bill into the legislative hopper shortly before he speaks Sept. 30 before a D.C. Marriage Equality Convocation. The convocation, or conference, is being organized by a coalition of more than one dozen LGBT groups. Organizers say it’s intended to rally local LGBT residents to action in support of the same-sex marriage measure, which is expected to be introduced by Catania and co-introduced by at least 10 of the Council’s 13 members.

NOM has promised to back Bishop Harry Jackson's proposed ballot initiative to ban same-sex marriage, but the DC board of Elections and Ethics has previously denied such attempts on the grounds that putting minority rights to a popular vote violates the city's Human Rights Act. NOM is expected to challenge another such denial in federal court.

Crackbarry: Homo Set Me Up!

DC City Councilman Marion "Crack" Barry says he's being investigated for ethics violations in retribution for campaigning against marriage equality. Via Gay Politics:

Washington, D.C. City Councilman Marion Barry is accusing his openly gay colleague, David Catania, of targeting him on unrelated ethics questions because Barry refused to support a measure that resulted in the District government recognizing legally-married same-sex couples, according to report by a local FOX News affiliate. Barry, a longtime supporter of LGBT rights in D.C., has cited discord between the LGBT community and African-American religious leaders for his current stance on marriage equality. New ethics questions have surfaced about Barry’s role in administering grant money authorized by the city council.