Maddow On Maine Marriage Battle

Last night Rachel Maddow hosted Maine Gov. John Baldacci to discuss his change of heart on same-sex marriage. The latest poll released yesterday shows the issue to still be a tie.

Anti-Gay Christian Action Network Told They Can't Raise Funds In Maine

After they sent out a fundraising letter called "inflammatory" and "anti-Muslim," the state of Maine has told the virulently anti-gay Christian Action Network that they can no longer raise funds there. The group is suing the state in response.

The organization claims the state violated its right to free speech under the First and Fourteenth Amendments when it denied the Christian Action Network a charitable license to solicit funds in Maine and proposed the group pay $4,000 in sanctions. Assistant Attorney General Thomas Knowlton said he was aware the lawsuit had been filed, but his office had not been served with the complaint as of 4 p.m. Monday. The AG’s office has 20 days to reply to the lawsuit after it receives it. “We believe the state did not violate the group’s constitutional rights when it denied the Christian Action Network a license to solicit as a charitable organization in Maine,” Knowlton said.

The letter complained the public schools were teaching about Islam.

The letter, according to the complaint filed last week in U.S. District Court in Bangor, was “an informational and educational packet … alerting citizens to the remarkable privileges afforded the religion of Islam in American public schools and universities, including the provision of a ‘prayer room,’ foot baths, instruction in the Five Pillars of Islam, discussion of key passages of the Koran, and even an exercise in which seventh grade students were told that they ‘will become Muslim.’” A copy of the letter was filed with the complaint. It does not cite any schools or universities in Maine where the tenets of Islam are being taught or where accommodations for Muslim students have been made. The letter states that public schools in California, Texas, Minnesota, Michigan and South Carolina either teach or offer information about Islam and-or have made accommodations for prayer for Muslim students.

According to Maine law, fundraising efforts may not use an individual's name without their permission. Christian Action Network used the name of Maine Gov. John Baldacci.

Marriage Comes To Maine! Gov. Baldacci Signs Marriage Equality Bill!

Today Maine became the fifth state to approve marriage equality!

Democratic Gov. John Baldacci today signed into law a bill allowing gay marriage, making Maine the fifth state to allow same-sex marriage. The governor's signature came barely an hour after the measure won final approval in the state Legislature, with a final 31-8 vote in favor in the Maine Senate. Baldacci said in a statement that while he has opposed gay marriage in the past, “I have come to believe that this is a question of fairness and of equal protection under the law, and that a civil union is not equal to civil marriage.

“This new law does not force any religion to recognize a marriage that falls outside of its beliefs," the governor said. "It does not require the church to perform any ceremony with which it disagrees. Instead, it reaffirms the separation of church and state. It guarantees that Maine citizens will be treated equally under Maine’s civil marriage laws, and that is the responsibility of government," Baldacci said. The governor's signature means the law would take effect in 90 days after the end of the legislative session. It may not, however, be the last word: Opponents of same-sex marriage are gearing up to mount a so-called "people's veto" campaign that would put the issue to a statewide vote in November.

Congratulations to all our brothers and sisters in Maine for their hard work! Lobster for everybody!!

Victory In Maine!

Victory again! Maine's House of Representatives just approved their marriage equality bill by a vote of 89-58. The bill now goes back to the state Senate for final approval before landing on Gov. John Baldacci's desk. Baldacci has been evasive as to his decision.

Maine's in-house haters will have 90 days after the governor's potential approval to gather 55,000 petition signatures to force a November referendum.

"People's Veto" Campaign Against Marriage Equality Launches In Maine

Americans For Truth About Homosexuality chairman Mike Heath (who is also the head of the Maine Family Policy Council) is about to begin collecting petitions for a "People's Veto" of Maine's marriage equality bill.

The people of Maine know what marriage is,” said Heath. “Politicians pretend this debate is complicated and emotional. It isn’t. Maine people know the difference between right and wrong. What has been going on in Augusta for the past twenty years is a horrific farse.” In 1998 Heath campaigned for equal rights [against a pro-homosexual “sexual orientation” law]. He said he will do that again this time. He continued, “The other side has that part right. This is about equal rights. It is about making sure everyone has equal legal rights that are rooted in something substantial. Common sense tells all of us that you can’t give rights to people for doing wrong!” The Peoples Veto will begin as soon as the Secretary of State provides petitions to Heath. He said he looks forward to working with everyone in Maine who wants to preserve marriage and urged people to call 207-592-4137 or e-mail him at mike@mainefpc.com.

Last week Maine's Senate approved the bill 20-15. Maine Gov. John Baldacci has not definitively said if he will sign the bill, but recently appeared to be open to doing so.

Last June, when the Maine Family Policy Council was known as the Christian Civic League, Mike Heath called off an attempt to repeal the state's gay rights law, saying the group didn't have the money or volunteers to succeed.

"We're pulling the plug," said Michael Heath, executive director of the Christian Civic League of Maine. Heath said the evangelical group failed to attract voter, volunteer and financial support it needed to continue its campaign. The group collected only a third of the 15,000 voters' signatures it had set as a goal for primary election day June 10, said Heath. He added said that potential volunteers "don't want to be aligned with bigotry and homophobia and hatred," tags their opponents had applied to the initiative backers.

If Baldacci does sign the bill, same-sex marriage will become legal in Maine 90 days after the adjournment of the current legislative session on June 17. Heath and his haters will have to gather 55,087 petition signatures during that time in order to force a November referendum.

Maine Governor Calls Calls Blogger To Discuss Support Of Marriage Bill

In a surprising move, Maine Gov. John Baldacci called the home of Pam's House Blend blogger Louise yesterday to say he was reconsidering his position about signing the marriage equality bill should it reach his desk. Baldacci has been saying he was undecided for several weeks. On Tuesday the Maine Judiciary Committee strongly endorsed the bill and sent it on the state House and Senate who will consider it next week.

Baldacci was calling Louise to respond to an irate email that her husband had sent him. Go to her PHB entry for a transcript of the call, which floored the couple.

Strong Equality Endorsement In Maine

Last week's public hearing in Augusta must have had a positive effect because today the Maine Judiciary Committee strongly endorsed a marriage equality bill, sending it on to the state House and Senate by an 11-3 vote. Gov. John Baldacci says he's still undecided about the bill. Today's judiciary committee session was interrupted by a lone female protester who was removed by police after she began shouting that the bill was morally wrong.

Maine Marriage Hearing Live Stream

Maine's marriage equality hearing is about to begin at the Augusta Civic Center. Watch the live stream of the proceedings here. Our supporters are wearing red.

UPDATE: Things appear to have gone well for our side!

A public hearing on the Maine Legislature’s gay marriage proposal has opened with a standing ovation for the bill’s sponsor. Sen. Dennis Damon received a roar of approval at Wednesday’s hearing when he said the time has come to recognize same-sex marriages in Maine. He said his proposal — backed by 60 co-sponsors — "recognizes the worth of every man and woman among us." Gay rights activists have set a goal of establishing gay marriage in all six New England states by 2012, and they’re already halfway there.

In other good news, Maine Gov. John Baldacci now says he is "keeping an open mind" on the bill.