GOP fuels gay marriage ban (FL)

[soup]

The Florida Republican Party donates $150,000 to the group trying to get the constitutional amendment on the '06 ballot.

By ADAM C. SMITH, Times Political Editor
Published January 12, 2006

The group trying to put a gay marriage ban on the Florida ballot in 2006 is being bankrolled by the state Republican Party.

New state campaign finance records show that of the $193,000 that has been raised by Florida4marriage.org, the political committee working to amend the state constitution to ban gay marriage, $150,000 of it came in a single donation from the Florida Republican Party.<

>"It certainly was helpful," Florida4Marriage chairman John Stemberger said of the donation, which he said was unsolicited. "I'm not at liberty to discuss the details, but they came to us and gave us the money."

The big contribution was something of a surprise because the effective head of the state party, Gov. Jeb Bush, has been decidedly tepid about the proposed constitutional amendment. He has characterized it as well-meaning but unnecessary because state law already bars same-sex marriage.
http://www.sptimes.com/2006/01/12/State/GOP_fuels_gay_marriag.shtml

[IndianaGreen]

1. Is Florida4marriage a tax-exempt 501(c)(4) organization?

If it is, then it broke the IRS code by taking money from a political party.

[Pacifist Patriot]

2. I'm in Florida. How do I find out what kind of organization they are?

[soup]

6. I'm looking, too.

This is from last year:

>>State records show the measure was filed by a political committee called Florida4Marriage.org. A news release also used the name Florida Coalition to Protect Marriage. Orlando lawyer John Stemberger, director of the conservative Christian group Florida Family Focus, is listed as chairman.

Stemberger gained visibility last year during the Republican primary for the U.S. Senate. A supporter of Mel Martinez, Stemberger was at the center of an attack mail piece against Martinez's chief rival, former U.S. Rep. Bill McCollum. Stemberger condemned McCollum's record of supporting hate crimes legislation.

After winning, Martinez said he regretted the attacks on McCollum, a conservative who opposes gay marriage.<<
http://64.233.187.104/search?q=cache:fVq9CbnRQVsJ:flapolitics.blogspot.com/2005_02_12_flapolitics_archive.html+florida4marriage+committee&hl=en

--

Apparently this group has been around for awhile. The "NEWS" is they're financed by the Republican party.

I missed the call yesterday asking me, "as a registered Fl voter, to push 1 now to sign the petition". Found it on the answering machine last night.

[soup]

7. Frustrating.

ORLANDO, Fla. (BP)--A broad-based coalition of religious and pro-family organizations -- including the Florida Baptist Convention –- launched Feb. 14 an ambitious citizen initiative to amend Florida’s Constitution defining marriage as “the legal union of only one man and one woman as husband and wife."

With a backdrop of married couples of all races and ages, the coalition announced the formation of the Florida Coalition to Protect Marriage at a news conference in Orlando. The group has launched a website -- www.Florida4Marriage.org.<<
http://www.bpnews.net/bpnews.asp?ID=20151


So, it's a coalition of religious organizations coming together to form a political committee to push this petition onto the ballot, funded by the GOP hoping it'll energize its 'base' into voting in November.

What type of political committee? shrug. Wouldn't there be a filing somewhere?

[soup]

9. Exodus International and Liberty Counsel

According to Florida's News-Journalonline, Exodus International, the largest exgay group in the country, is actively working with Florida4marriage to write "a ban on gay marriage into Florida's constitution." So, for Exodus, the focus is not just ministering to those who want to change, or fighting for "tolerance" for exgays, but fighting against the rights of those who are fine with who they are.

In this country, we all have the right to work for political change. Well, except for 501(c)(3)s like Exodus—but I'm not touching that one. But, I'm trying to get clear on exactly what the exgay movement is saying. Are you victims fighting for equality? (Since you refer to PFOX member Estella Salvatierra as a "civil rights" attorney.) Or are you really trying to keep other people from having the equality you yourselves say you want? Which is it? I'm confused.
http://www.teachthefacts.org/archives/2005_02_01_vigilance-archive.html

The Florida Coalition to Protect Marriage, an alliance of religious groups led by Liberty Counsel, an Orlando-based legal foundation affiliated with Liberty University Law School
http://www.alligator.org/pt2/050216marriage.php

--

I'm going in circles here. Going to check and see if there's anything on the FL gov site about registered orgs.

[soup]

12. Division of Elections Committee Info

Not sure if this link will activate directly. If it does, here's the status info:
http://election.dos.state.fl.us/cgi-bin/ComHtml.exe?account=41550

Listed only as:
Committee Type: Political Committee (PAC)

If the link doesn't work, try the search here:
http://election.dos.state.fl.us/online/commsrch.asp

:shrug:

[soup]

4. Where would I find that info?

The only thing I've found so far is that they are a "registered political committee whose pronounced main focus is protecting and preserving the union of marriage as one that consists solely of one man and one woman as husband and wife."

[samhsarah]

3. guns, god, and gays

the GOP MO

[soup]

5. yep.

I *shudder* went to their site, and they have pastor action kits, sample sermons, and ways to collect petitions at church.

[AnneD]

35. Thanks...

what they really want to accomplish is to get this on the ballot to energize the CCRW into coming out TO VOTE. Many are so upset at Bush for other reasons that they actually may not show up or vote the other way. This gives them a carrot to go into the voting booth. Trouble is these sheeple will do exactly that and vote against their best interests.

[pinerow]

8. I'm Shocked!!!...Again...someone has a firm grip

on the obvious...:woohoo:

[soup]

13. I could just 'see' my mother reading this article,

rolling her eyes in disgust, and saying, "State the obvious and expound upon it."

Like mother, like daughter.

[oneoftheboys]

10. Not again...this is getting old.

Well, at least there are only 50 states.

[soup]

16. Yeah. It's not enough that FL state law already bans gay marriage.

Gotta pound it home. insert :eye roll: smilie

--

Welcome to DU. Love your sig line.

[xchrom]

11. the gop is opposed to gay marriage --

but will they stoop to illegal contributions to make it's point?

if they can get away with it they will.

[BR_Parkway]

14. In spite of their claim that most Americans support all their positions

they constantly need to lie, cheat, steal, cover up and spin what they are doing. For some reason, they have a huge fear of actually being in the open public square and being honest about it - perhaps they really don't want to have confirmed that the majority of American's don't support them.

[xchrom]

19. gasp -- how rude to suggest that most

americans don't support the gop.

:rofl:

[Strawman]

15. What are we up to now? A super double dog dare you gay marriage ban?

[gratuitous]

17. Isn't that sweet? Defending the "sanctity" of marriage

I wonder when the GOP is going to get around to things like Fox's show "Who Wants To Marry A Millionaire?" or Britney Spears and her 55-hour marriage to Jason Alexander? How do those events help or hurt marriage, sanctity-wise?

Fox? Britney? Old news, I suppose. But how about this:

http://www.955klos.com/goout.asp?u=http://www.955klos.com/listingsEntry.asp?ID=401426&PT=onaircrew

2 Strangers & A Wedding

Are you single or divorced and looking for your soul mate? Would you be willing to take part in Mark & Brian’s social experiment? Right now there’s probably someone in the Mark & Brian Listening Audience who’s meant to be with you, a perfect match, a person that will complete you… It’s just that you haven’t met them yet.

If you’re a woman who wants to quit the dating scene and get married, Mark & Brian will try to find your Mr. Right! Our lucky couple will head down the aisle for a fairy tale wedding, complete with reception, and of course a fantastic honeymoon vacation. But here’s the catch: Our bride and groom will meet, for the first time on their wedding day!

__________________________________

Now, I don't take a position one way or the other on this contest/promotion. Radio stations do all kinds of stunts to boost ratings and attract more advertising dollars. But where are the voices sooooo concerned about defending the alleged "sanctity" of marriage when it comes to something like this? Or does their concern only extend to bullying gays?

[FredUptoHere]

18. if some states ban it, and some allow it-

what happens to a gay married couple who move from a state that allows it to one that doesn't?

[saigon68]

20. A Federal Constitutional amendment will take care of IT

That's what these Hoodlums want as in

Hey you Gays--get back in the closet. </sarcasm>

[4dsc]

21. There no such thing as gay marriage

I wonder why these idiots are trying to ban something that doesn't exist??

[soup]

22. It's a 'proactive fight against judicial tyranny thwarting the will

of the people who support the sanctity of marriage'.
Ever vigilant.
Long live the United States of Dobson.


Cannot believe I just typed that.

--

Welcome to Florida's Pro-Family Team.
http://www.floridafamilyaction.org/

Florida Family Policy Council is associated with Focus on the Family.
http://www.flfamily.org/

Florida Family Action - (a major ongoing contributor to Florida4Marriage.org - unlike the Republican party, who did it all in one lump sum):

Florida Family Action is a new cultural action organization that is completely separate from the Florida Family Policy Council, legally. It has been created by separating out of Florida Family Policy Council those activities which constitute lobbying under the IRS code so that they can be expanded in scope. It will provide a platform for informing, inspiring and rallying those who care deeply about the family to greater involvement in the moral, cultural and political issues that threaten our state.

Florida Family Action will give our team much greater freedom to take our views to the public square, where the great debate over culture, rights, freedom and values is taking place, and allow us to ask people to take specific actions such as calling senators and congressmen to pass important, family-friendly legislation. The bottom line is we can be more effective in fighting for the Florida Marriage Protection Amendment and against judicial tyranny among many other issues with this new lobbying organization.
http://www.floridafamilyaction.org/home/about.cfm

All neat and tidy and legal and shady as all get out...

[seafan]

23. Florida Republican Party donates $150,000 to support ban on gay marriages

By Jason Garcia
Tallahassee Bureau
Posted January 12 2006

TALLAHASSEE · The Republican Party of Florida gave $150,000 to the group that wants to put a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage on the November ballot, new campaign finance records show.

snip

Having a proposal to ban same-sex marriage on the ballot could help the Republican Party by rallying religious conservatives to the polls in a year when Floridians will elect Gov. Jeb Bush's successor.

A spokeswoman for the Republican Party said political considerations played no role in the GOP's contribution.

The party made the donation "solely because we support the issue," said Camille Anderson, the spokeswoman.

Still, Anderson acknowledged, "It happens to be beneficial to have initiatives on the ballot that Republicans feel strongly about."

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/local/florida/sfl-fgay12jan12,0,1218946.story?coll=sfla-news-florida

[Botany]

24. Can you say wedge issue?

[aquart]

25. Wonder where they got the money.

[seafan]

27. Maybe Jack slipped them a few bucks on his way to court? n/t

[FVZA_Colonel]

30. Jack?

Sorry, it's just that when I hear "Jack" and "Florida," I automatically think of that anti-videogame assclown Jack Thompson.

[seafan]

26. St. Pete Times: GOP fuels gay marriage ban

By ADAM C. SMITH, Times Political Editor
Published January 12, 2006

The group trying to put a gay marriage ban on the Florida ballot in 2006 is being bankrolled by the state Republican Party.

snip

The big contribution was something of a surprise because the effective head of the state party, Gov. Jeb Bush, has been decidedly tepid about the proposed constitutional amendment. He has characterized it as well-meaning but unnecessary because state law already bars same-sex marriage.

snip

Supporters say the amendment would protect Florida against "activist" judges who might overturn the existing law. But it's unclear whether advocates will manage to collect the necessary 600,000 signatures by Feb. 1 to qualify for the ballot.

snip

http://www.sptimes.com/2006/01/12/State/GOP_fuels_gay_marriag.shtml


The way I read this is that these guys are desperate. Well, we'll just tighten their screws some more.

[soup]

32. Talk about desperation...

I mentioned above that they somehow managed to add my phone number to their call list. But I missed the call. Listened to it later on the machine and wondered how the hell I got on on their list. Boy, did they get a wrong number.

--

From the Tampa Tribune:
>>Amendment sponsors must have 611,000 signed petitions certified by Feb. 1 to qualify for the Nov. 7 ballot. Florida4marriage has nearly 166,000 certified signatures<<
http://www.tbo.com/news/metro/MGBXXSYGCIE.html

With all the 'pro-family' organizations, churches and the GOP behind this, the best they have come up with so far falls close to 1/2 a million short?? Wonder if the hired Miami 'rioters' from 2000 will demand a recount. I sure hope that this sudden spate of last minute attention isn't enough to get this on the ballot.

Is it odd that the GOP gave them the money last November, and mid-January it becomes big news? Or can that be attributed to the timing of income reporting deadlines for the PAC?

[asjr]

28. Republicans hate civil rights.

[msgadget]

29. I guess there are no homeless folks that money could've helped. n/t

[0rganism]

31. That issue alone won't win them the election

The Oregon GOP tried the exact same thing in 2004. Even though their vicious and hateful legislation passed with over 60% of the vote, Kerry still won. Guess they forgot that Democrats can be homophobes, too.

[area51]

33. "Florida4Marriage"

Don't you love the idiot nazi party group names? They should be calling themselves "Psychopathic busybodies afraid they'll be outed".

[baby_mouse]

34. "GOP Ruins Everything in the Whole World - Blames Clinton" nt.