Via JMG: House Dems criticize GOP for tripling money for DOMA lawyer

From The Hill:

In a news release Tuesday, Democratic Reps. Robert Brady (Pa.), Charles Gonzalez (Texas) and Zoe Lofgren (Calif.) criticized their GOP colleagues for increasing the contract with the lawyer hired to defend DOMA from $500,000 to $1.5 million.

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was quick to defend her fellow Democrats.

 “It is absolutely unconscionable that Speaker Boehner is tripling the cost for his legal boondoggle to defend the indefensible Defense of Marriage Act,” Pelosi spokesman Drew Hammill said Tuesday in a news release.

“At a time when Americans are hurting and job creation should be the top priority, it just shows how out of touch House Republicans have become that they would spend up to $1.5 million dollars to defend discrimination in our country,” he added. 

Boehner’s office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Yeah I bet he didn't.

Via JMG: Boehner Triples DOMA Legal Budget

House Speaker John Boenher has tripled the allocation to defend DOMA to a possible $1.5M.

A modified contract between the General Counsel to the House of Representatives and former Solicitor General Paul Clement of Bancroft PLLC sets a cap of $750,000 which can be raised up to $1.5 million. "It is absolutely unconscionable that Speaker Boehner is tripling the cost for his legal boondoggle to defend the indefensible Defense of Marriage Act," Drew Hammill, a spokesman for Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, said in a statement. "At a time when Americans are hurting and job creation should be the top priority, it just shows how out of touch House Republicans have become that they would spend up to $1.5 million dollars to defend discrimination in our country," Hammill continued.

Rep. Jerrold Nadler reacts via press release:

“In the current climate of Republican-sponsored deficit hysteria, draconian spending cuts, and an ongoing recession in which Americans are still awaiting congressional leadership on jobs and mortgage relief, it is shocking and supremely hypocritical for Republican Leadership to spend additional taxpayer dollars on the unwarranted, unconstitutional and unnecessary defense of DOMA. It seems that the only jobs program the House is creating is one for high-priced lawyers to defend an unconscionable law.

Freedom To Marry's Evan Wolfson:

“At a time when Americans are struggling through one of the worst economies in our nation's history, it is shameful that House Republicans are now tripling the spending of tax dollars - including those of gay and lesbian Americans - to defend a discriminatory anti-gay law that makes it even harder for committed gay and lesbian couples to take care of and protect their loved ones. The so-called Defense of Marriage Act is indefensible, and wasting tax dollars on perpetuating discrimination is unconscionable.”

Labels: Congress, DOMA, Evan Wolfson, GOP, Jerry Nadler, LGBT rights, U.S. House

reposted from Joe

GlobalPost Presents Series on Gay Rights Fight

Dick Cheney Endorses DADT Repeal

Via JMG: ILLINOIS: Tea Party Marriage Defender Busted For Soliciting Prostitute

Last year when the news broke that Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-IL) had cheated on his wife, Chicago Tea Party president Steve Stevlic went on a Twitter-fueled crusade to denounce the congressman for destroying the sanctity of his marriage. You all KNOW what comes next, right?

TeaCon was supposed to be the culmination of all the work that Chicago Tea Party Director Stevan Stevlic put into building the party. But Stevlic, of Cicero, ended up skipping the event Saturday after news broke about his arrest for soliciting a prostitute more than a year ago. Stevan Stevlic, then 36, was arrested June 25, 2010, in the 1600 block of South Kilbourn for misdemeanor solicitation of prostitution, a police source confirmed to the Sun-Times Saturday. The arrest was first reported on the website Gawker, which said the charges were dropped after Stevlic agreed to participate in a rehab program.

Stevlic has now locked his Twitter feed so nobody can screencap all that moral outrage directed at Rep. Jackson. (Tipped by JMG reader Rich)

Labels: hypocrisy, prostitution, sanctity of marriage, Tea Party

reposted from Joe

Via JMG: Marriage: According To The Bible

(NSFW source)

Labels: marriage equality, religion, superstition

reposted from Joe

Via JMG: Rachel Maddow Vs. Bryan Fischer

As I've noted here many times, most of the major GOP presidential candidates will appear at this year's Values Voter Summit, an event put on by the Family Research Council, an SPLC-certified hate group. Last week it was learned that American Family Association spokesbigot Bryan Fischer will immediately follow Mitt Romney on the convention's stage. In the clip below, Rachel Maddow picks up the story.

Start the clip at 3:00.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Labels: AFA, Bryan Fischer, Family Reseach Council, GOP, hate groups, Mitt Romney, Values Voters Summit

reposted from Joe

Via JMG: SCOTUS: Humanitarian Faith Groups Can Discriminate In Hiring Practices

The Supreme Court today refused to hear the appeal of a lower court's ruling that faith-based humanitarian organizations may legally refuse to hire those outside of their religion. The suit had been brought on behalf of several former employees of the massive Virgina-based evangelical group World Vision.

In August, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that World Vision could legally discriminate in hiring based on religious affiliation. The court, upholding a lower court ruling on a discrimination suit, said World Vision qualifies as a faith-based humanitarian organization and is exempt from the Civil Rights Act. The U.S. Supreme Court Monday affirmed that appeals court decision by refusing to hear the case. “Our Christian faith has been the foundation of our work since the organization was established in 1950, and our hiring policy is vital to the integrity of our mission to serve the poor as followers of Jesus Christ,” said Richard Stearns, World Vision U.S. president, in a statement.

World Vision is an international relief agency with annual donations of over $2 billion. They have been accused of deceptive practices regarding their aid to poor children in foreign countries.

Labels: employment, religion, Supreme Court

reposted from Joe

Via Pedantic Political Ponderings:

Praise: President Obama at the Human Rights Commission last night

Last night, President Obama spoke at the Human Rights Commission.  The video begins with a speech by outgoing head of the HRC Joe Solmonese.  Mr. Obama begins to speak at about 9:55 into the video.

Here are a few lines that caught my ear:

Every single American:  gay, straight, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, every single American deserves to be treated equally in the eyes of the law and in the eyes of our society.  It's a pretty simple proposition.

The President is, of course, correct.  Equality is called for in the Founding Documents of the United States of America.  It is a simple concept, but will not be a simple achievement.

The President went on to enumerate his important achievements on that path to full equality

• The Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Law
• Executive Order that hospitals that accept Medicare must allow same gender partners as visitors
• Lifting of the HIV travel ban
• Comprehensive National Strategy to fight HIV/AIDS
• Repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell (DADT)

make the jump here to read the full Pondering

Via AmericaBlogGay: Obama castigates GOP prez candidates: Commander in Chief must support gay troops

The highlight of the President's speech at the Human Rights Campaign's annual dinner was his sharp rebuke of the GOP presidential candidates for refusing to say a word while several members of the audience at the last debate booed a gay soldier. Here's that snippet, from Igor Volsky of ThinkProgress:

make the jump here to read the full story