GOP Leaders To SCOTUS: Yes To Marriage

From Time Magazine:

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.

Mehlman, of course, was running the GOP show when 21 states enacted constitutional bans on same-sex marriage. He finally came out in 2010.

Freedom To Marry Celebrates 10 Years

Last night I attended the tenth anniversary celebration of Freedom To Marry. The evening included a performance by Tony winner Laura Benanti and a gorgeous short film based on a new poem by Richard Blanco, who read his work at Obama's 2012 inauguration. (The film will debut at Cannes next month.) Pictured above: CNN commentator Margaret Hoover,  Freedom To Marry founder Evan Wolfson, Freedom To Marry national campaign director Marc Solomon, and the evening's emcee, Cynthia Nixon. AFER's Matt Baume was in attendance and he provides us with the below photo of Wolfson and Ken Mehlman, who was one of the evening's top sponsors.

Homocons Co-Sign Statement Denouncing "Punishment" Of Mozilla's Former CEO

A coalition of well-known homocons and others today released a public statement on the resignation of former Mozilla CEO Brandon Eich. The statement is titled, "Freedom To Marry, Freedom To Dissent: Why We Must Have Both." An excerpt:

Is opposition to same-sex marriage by itself, expressed in a political campaign, beyond the pale of tolerable discourse in a free society? We cannot wish away the objections of Christian, Jewish, and Muslim faith traditions, or browbeat them into submission. Even in our constitutional system, persuasion is a minority’s first and best strategy. It has served us well and we should not be done with it.

Much of the rhetoric that emerged in the wake of the Eich incident showed a worrisome turn toward intolerance and puritanism among some supporters of gay equality—not in terms of formal legal sanction, to be sure, but in terms of abandonment of the core liberal values of debate and diversity.

Sustaining a liberal society demands a culture that welcomes robust debate, vigorous political advocacy, and a decent respect for differing opinions. People must be allowed to be wrong in order to continually test what is right. We should criticize opposing views, not punish or suppress them.

The freedom—not just legal but social—to express even very unpopular views is the engine that propelled the gay-rights movement from its birth against almost hopeless odds two generations ago. A culture of free speech created the social space for us to criticize and demolish the arguments against gay marriage and LGBT equality. For us and our advocates to turn against that culture now would be a betrayal of the movement’s deepest and most humane values.

The statement does not address the fact that all LGBT groups remained completely silent as the controversy unfolded and came to its conclusion. Nor does it note that the campaign against Eich was spawned by Mozilla staffers and developers themselves. Instead, the "blame" for Eich's resignation is laid squarely at the feet of phantom gay activists.

Homocon signers: Ken Mehlman, Peter Thiel, Rich Tafel, William Saletan, Jamie Kirchick, Jonathan Rauch, and former GOP Rep. Jim Kolbe. Among the others: Andrew Sullivan, John Corvino, David Blankenhorn, and Box Turtle Bulletin bloggers Jim Burroway, Timothy Kincaid, and Rob Tisinai.

Out Issues Power 50 Ranking

Out Magazine today published its eighth annual ranking of the 50 most powerful LGBT people in the United States.  Here's a bit of the list.

1. Ellen DeGeneres
2. Tim Cook
3. Rachel Maddow
4. Sen. Tammy Baldwin
5. Glenn Greenwald
6. Ryan Murphy
7. Neil Patrick Harris
8. Andy Cohen
9. Michael Sam
10. Robin Roberts

Homocon billionaire Peter Thiel is #13. Former RNC chairman Ken Mehlman is #18. Andrew Sullivan is #26. New to the list is DOMA attorney Roberta Kaplan at #47. Curiously missing from this year's ranking is closeted homocon blogger Matt Drudge, who ranked at #21 last year and at #16 in 2012. Since there's no obvious reason for Drudge to completely fall off the list in one year, I wouldn't be surprised if somebody got a cease-and-desist letter.

UTAH: GOP Pols File Pro-Gay Marriage Brief With Tenth Circuit Court

Via Chris Geidner at Buzzfeed:

Several prominent Western-state conservatives and Republicans — led by former Sen. Alan Simpson — urged the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals Tuesday to strike down bans on same-sex couples’ marriages in Utah and Oklahoma. Modeled after the briefing at the Supreme Court last year, the brief filed Tuesday aims to convince the court that the marriage equality cause is supported by people all along the political spectrum. The brief states that the signers believe that “there is no legitimate, fact-based reason for denying same-sex couples the same recognition in law that is available to opposite-sex couples."

Also signing the brief is former RNC chairman Ken Mehlman and former New Mexico Gov. Gary Johnson.

Out's 100 Most Eligible Bachelors

Out Magazine has published its annual 100 Most Eligible Bachelors list and while bear icon/PA state Rep. Brian Sims is on the list...so is Ken Mehlman.  Also featured: Jason Collins, Mo Rocca, Nate Silver, and Ricky Martin.

UPDATE: Out is asking readers to vote on their favorites. Sims is currently in second place behind Adam Lambert.

Homocons Join GOP Prop 8 Brief

Yesterday we learned that about 75 GOP figures had signed onto a joint Supreme Court brief supporting the overturn of Prop 8.  Today we get the full list of names and note that a number of  well-known homocons have signed on. Most notable, of course, is that the brief itself bears the name of former RNC chairman Ken Mehlman, the homocon mastermind of 21 successful anti-gay state ballot initiatives during the Bush II administration. 

Other homocon brief signees include former Log Cabin head R. Clark Cooper, former UN ambassadors spokesman Richard Grenell (who spent two hot minutes with the Romney campaign before getting canned), former Log Cabin head Patrick Guerriero, former Rep. Michael Huffington,  former Rep. Jim Kolbe, and former MA state Rep. Richard Tisei, who ran unsuccessfully for the US House last year.

RELATED: Last month a separate trio of homocons, David Benkof, Doug Mainwaring, and Robert Oscar Lopez, filed a Supreme Court brief against the repeal of Proposition 8.

Outed Homophobes: The Supercut

Via Towleroad, here's a compilation of some of the most notorious homophobes who have been outed in recent years.

POLITICO: Mitt Romney Wanted Homocon Ken Mehlman To Lead His Campaign

In a lengthy piece titled How Mitt Romney Stumbled, which slams his campaign chief Stuart Stevens, yesterday Politico claimed that at one time Romney wanted former RNC chairman Ken Mehlman to have the job. Politico's brief mention of Mehlman:

POLITICO has learned when Romney was gearing up for his 2012 run, he made never-before-reported overtures to Ken Mehlman, the manager of Bush’s campaign, and Mike Murphy, a top strategist who remains close to Romney. Still, when Romney went for a leaner campaign with fewer consultants, Stevens was left standing. At Romney’s insistence, Stevens and his business partner, Russ Schriefer, went all in, closing the Stevens and Schriefer Group office in Washington and moving into a first-floor warren at Romney headquarters in Boston’s North End.

It's not clear if Romney's "overture" occurred before Mehlman came out in 2010. As you doubtlessly recall, Mehlman steered the 2004 Bush campaign to victory by championing anti-gay ballot measures in many states.

Ken Mehlman Apologizes For First Time

"At a personal level, I wish I had spoken out against the effort. As I’ve been involved in the fight for marriage equality, one of the things I’ve learned is how many people were harmed by the campaigns in which I was involved. I apologize to them and tell them I am sorry. While there have been recent victories, this could still be a long struggle in which there will be setbacks, and I’ll do my part to be helpful." - Former Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman, finally publicly apologizing for spearheading a dozen state-level anti-gay ballot measures in order increase voter turnout for the 2004 reelection of George W. Bush.

RELATED: In the last two years Mehlman has worked to help convince GOP lawmakers to support same-sex marriage in several states. However later this month he will also co-chair a high-ticket fundraiser for the reelection for House Speaker John Boehner, who recently tripled the federal budget to defend against the overturn of DOMA.

Log Cabin Head R. Clark Cooper And Ken Mehlman To Co-Host Boehner Fundraiser

Log Cabin Republicans head R. Clark Cooper and former RNC chairman Ken Mehlman will be co-hosts of a fundraiser to reelect GOP House Speaker John Boehner. Why would two self-proclaimed supporters of LGBT rights work to maintain the regime of the man who has vowed to thwart the overturn of DOMA and who recently tripled the legal budget to do so?

Party first, your own people second. That's why.

Architect Of Anti-Gay State Amendments Named To Out Magazine's "Out 100"

Because Ken Mehlman finally came out as a millionaire gay banker and then played a "quietly instrumental role" in New York's marriage equality battle, the folks at Out Magazine have forgiven his days as the head of the Republican National Committee, where he orchestrated numerous successful statewide campaigns to demonize and make illegal the lives and loves of LGBT people.

For all those millions of people made miserable by Ken Mehlman? Forgiven. The kids who killed themselves because of relentlessly vicious campaigns spawned by Ken Mehlman? Forgotten. The anti-gay politicians funded last year by Ken Mehlman? Ignored.

UPDATE: On their blog, Out Magazine notes this post and asks for feedback.

"We also announced Tom Duane and Daniel O'Donnell, two politicians essential in the fight for same-sex marriage in New York State. Should we only recognize the steadfastly positive and not the ones who may have a more complicated track record?"

UPDATE II: The Advocate (Out's sister publication) notes this post and quotes Out editor Aaron Hicklin.

Hicklin contends that Mehlman, and people like him, are necessary to advance marriage equality nationwide. "He is a savvy political operator, and we need people with his experience and influence to help our fight," Hicklin said. "I expected his inclusion to elicit some protests, but ultimately it’s up to readers themselves to decide how they feel about his record. The media’s role is to provoke conversation, and in this we clearly succeeded."

Ken Mehlman Confronted Over Past

Activist Jon Winkleman tried to get former RNC chair Ken Mehlman to own up to his role in numerous anti-gay campaigns, but Mehlman wasn't having it. Clip description:

I ran into Bush's former RNC Chair Ken Mehlman who oversaw the anti-LGBT campaigns and ballot questions Bush used as wedge issues and to throw red meat to his base. Mehlman claims he came out after Bush left office, though it was widely known in DC that Mehlman was gay at the time. He knew what he was doing and that it was hurting other LGBT Americans. I know he helped with the efforts to pass marriage in NY but he still supports those who do us harm. Also his cynical anti-LGBT campaigns at the RNC fanned the flames of hate and violent hate crimes increased in the districts they focused. LGBT people were hurt...physically, because of Mehlman's actions. So of course I had to go over and say something.

Ken Mehlman: Why Republicans Should Support Same-Sex Marriage

Yeah, that's nice now. But don't ever for one minute forget Mehlman's leadership role in the many anti-gay marriage referendums that swept the nation during his tenure as head of the Republican National Committee.

Ken Mehlman Speaks To GOProud

Just posted to GOProud's YouTube channel is this clip of the repulsive Ken Mehlman speaking at Saturday's fundraiser in the DC home of former Cheney staffer Mary Matalin. Mehlman: "We must follow the tradition of what GOProud is doing, which is to say, 'We will define conservatism by what your mind tells you, not by arbitrary characteristics that you were born with that you can't help."

Photo Of The Day - Mehlman & Matalin

Former RNC chairman (and 21st century Roy Cohn) Ken Mehlman attended Saturday's GOProud fundraiser in the home of former Dick Cheney adviser Mary Matalin. GOProud has posted dozens of photos.

Keith Olbermann Mocks Ken Mehlman

In a piece parodying that ridiculous phone call to Anita Hill by the wife of Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, Keith Olbermann used Ken Mehlman as example of some other people who have no right to apologies.

HomoConQuotable - Charles Winecoff

"Like slavery in America, there is no moving on from gay Republicanism. Robert 'KKK' Byrd can be forgiven. Jim 'I-am-a-gay-American-cheating-on-my-wife' McGreevey can be forgiven. Dean, Clinton, and Obama can be forgiven for their hollow promises to the LGBT community. Hell, even Fidel Castro can be forgiven for his homosexual re-education camps. And, of course, it wouldn’t be 'nice' to criticize Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan for a single one of his many offensive remarks, such as: 'It’s the wicked Jews, the false Jews that are promoting lesbianism, homosexuality.' As Robot B9 would say, that does not compute.

"No, for Ken Mehlman, eternal damnation is too lenient. Because of his 'bad' political choice, he’s not allowed the freedom of personal evolution that 'good' gays enjoy. He’s not allowed to change. And spitting wouldn’t satisfy the intolerant community’s need to obliterate his existence. In cases like his, the only thing that could possibly appease the oppression-obsessed gay Left would be… well, frankly, some torches, pitchforks, and a public execution. Maybe they can all convert to Islam while they’re at it. Surely, paradise can’t be too far away." - Homocon Charles Winecoff, writing for wingnut Andrew Breitbart's Big Government.

NOTE: Sen. Robert Bryd's history with the KKK was indeed largely "forgiven," but that forgiveness came after decades and decades of public service and, by Bryd's own words, "thousands of personal apologies" delivered face-to-face to the people he had wronged. Ken Mehlman has only just revealed the rainbow lining in HIS white hood and has yet to issue a single apology. Maybe after a few decades of contrite service like that delivered to the nation by Sen. Byrd and some well-publicized and believable apologies, we'll forgive Ken Mehlman too.

NEW YORK: Quisling Ken Mehlman Backs "Pro-Family" GOP U.S. House Candidate

Newly out and still not sorry for damaging the lives of millions of LGBT Americans, Quisling Ken Mehlman is co-hosting a fundraiser for Randy Altschuler, the "family values" candidate for the U.S. House on Long Island. Altschuler, who has also been endorsed by Newt Gingrich, says that his family values will have the "single greatest influence" on his voting record, should he be elected. He also launched a petition campaign opposing the so-called Ground Zero mosque and supports building a ginormous fence to keep out them dirty Mexicans.

HomoQuotable - Rich Tafel

"It pisses me off that people will put their ambition ahead of the truth, and then, when it’s convenient, play the gay card and hope that everybody [can] raise money and get money and then expect everybody to say, ‘Everything is great.' You do have to show moral courage in coming out when you work in politics. And if the message is stay ambitious, and stay in the closet, even work with anti-gay stuff, and then come out and everybody’s supposed to forgive him — I’m just not there."

“There were people always coming up to me saying that he hit on me, or I know someone who knows someone — so I don’t know if it’s anything but gossip. But the whole thing strikes me as a little almost picture perfect PR timing to do it now when it’s probably going to affect his social life if he wants to live in New York and go out and date and so forth, so I’m a little suspicious." - Former Log Cabin Republicans head Rich Tafel, speaking about Ken Mehlman to the Washington Blade.