February 27th, 2013
This is huge. In case you’ve forgotten who former Rep. Marilyn Musgrave (R-CO) is, here’s a reminder:
Ms. Musgrave, who lost her bid for a fourth term in 2008, was an unsuccessful sponsor of a constitutional amendment to bar same-sex couples from marrying; she once warned that if gay couples were allowed to wed, “the next step is polygamy or group marriage.”
The New York Times is kindly soft-peddalling it a bit. Musgrave was very nearly a single-issue anti-gay politician for much of her time in Congress from 2003 to 2009. She drafted and introduced the Federal Marriage Amendment into both the 108th and 109th Congresses. In a speech at the Family “Research” Council’s “Values Voters Summit,” she said that permanently banning same-sex marriage was top of her agenda — above abortion and home-schooling, both of which were also very near to her heart. “As we face the issues that we are facing today, I don’t think there’s anything more important out there than the marriage issue,” she said. She cited the rabidly anti-gay dominionist pastor D. James Kennedy, founder of Coral Ridge Ministries, as her inspiration for entering politics. He gave her a “Distinguished Christian Statesman Award” in 2005. The American Conservative Union gave her a 99% lifetime rating, ranking her as the most conservative member of the House. The Christian Coalition scored her at 100%.
Also added to the list is Beth Myers, who ran Gov. Mitt Romney’s 2008 GOP presidential campaign and was a senior adviser during the 2012 campaign. The name count of Republicans now urging the Supreme Court to declare Prop 8 unconstitutional now stands at more than 100.
Update: It turns out it was all too good to be true.
Update from Timothy: The New York Times has issued a correction:
Correction: February 27, 2013
An earlier version of this story incorrectly stated that former Representative Marilyn Musgrave, Republican of Colorado, had signed on to the brief. The brief was signed by Ms. Musgrave’s former district director, for herself.
Not quite “Dewey Wins”, but significantly embarrassing.
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Ben in Oakland
February 27th, 2013
Imagine what could have happened had our feckless “leaders” not run every campaign until last November from deep within the recesses of the Closet o’ Shame, being so afraid of making the wrong step that they took no steps at all, so afraid of showing gay people that they showed nothing at all except empty platitudes.
We’d be five years ahead in this battle. It might even be over with.
Now we have the likes of Marilyn musgrave apparently saying that perhaps, maybe, she was wrong. We have many prominent republicans saying that maybe, perhaps, they too were wrong.
cowboy
February 27th, 2013
More than 100 prominent Republicans and more than sixty companies are publicly on our side…
This sudden tidal wave of support is suspect…for me at least.
Was this because Obama won the election?
There might be some sort of repercussions because of probable pro-gay decisions by The Supreme Court later this year?
This has a feeling like death-bed conversions for some odd reason.
Priya Lynn
February 27th, 2013
Giggity.
Priya Lynn
February 27th, 2013
“Was this because Obama won the election?”.
Without a doubt that was a big part of it. Republicans know their cavemen stances on social issues hurt them.
I hope those of you on our side can stop looking for the dark lining in the silver cloud.
markanthony
February 27th, 2013
“death-bed conversions” – those still count.
Jim Burroway
February 27th, 2013
It’s incredible how many people can’t take yes for an answer
cowboy
February 27th, 2013
Golly Gee…I’m happy about this. Really I am.
I was just echoing a comment made on an Apple blog:
— Moccasin
Jack
February 27th, 2013
She already issued a statement denying the whole story.
occono
February 27th, 2013
http://kdvr.com/2013/02/27/marilyn-musgrave-signs-gop-brief-in-support-gay-marriage/
Yep, the Times is wrong.
Jim Burroway
February 27th, 2013
Turns out that even Musgrave can’t take yes for an answer.
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