Software mogul and philanthropist Bruce Bastian is the latest donor to pull out of an LGBT Democratic Party fund-raiser following
last week's brief from the Department of Justice upholding the Defense of Marriage Act as law, as directed by President Barack Obama.
Bastian -- who donated $1 million to the campaign against Prop. 8 -- sent a message to the Democratic Party leadership saying that he will no longer donate to the party as a whole, according to the
Washington Blade. "I will continue to support certain congressmen, congresswomen, and senators whom I believe will continue to fight for our rights, but I don’t think blanket donations to the Democratic Party right now are justified, at least not in my book," he told the
Washington Blade.
Activist blogger Andy Towle, longtime Democratic figure David Mixner, and a handful of others have also pulled out of the $1,000-per-plate DNC fund-raiser to be held on June 25, which features Vice President Joe Biden as its keynote speaker.
"How will they ever take us seriously if we keep forking out money while they harm us," Mixner wrote on his blog on Monday. "For now on, my money is going to battles within the community such as the fight in Maine or the March on Washington! I am so tired of being told by Democratic operatives to 'suck it up' because so many other profound issues are at stake."
Representatives Jared Polis and Barney Frank have not indicated whether they will refrain from attending the event. Frank called the DOJ's brief, a directive from the White House, a "big mistake." However, he also said the same thing about boycotting the fund-raiser.
"I think it's a big mistake to deny money to the DNC," he said in the
Boston Herald.
On Wednesday night's Rachel Maddow Show, Rep. Tammy Baldwin said she would be attending.
http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid91318.asp
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