Subscribe to Breaking News
Loading ...W.Va. gov. rejects anti-gay group ultimatum
10.16.2008 3:16pm EDT
(Charleston, West Virginia) West Virginia governor Joe Manchin (D) rejected a Wednesday deadline by a socially conservative group that demanded he recall the legislature to pass a proposed constitutional amendment barring same-sex marriage.
The Family Policy Council told Manchin last week that he had until Wednesday to issue an order calling a special session of the legislature or it would actively work to defeat him at the polls next month.Council President Jeremy Dys, in a letter to the governor’s office demanding the special session, said the group had commissioned a poll which found 73 percent of registered voters support amending the constitution.
”The donors to this organization, as well as my board, are asking - rather stridently - that we release the poll to the public as soon as possible,” Dys said in the letter.
“If he has determined that the timing is not right, the duty I have to our donors and the Board of Directors requires that I release this as soon as possible.”
In a reply to Dys, the governor’s general counsel, Carte Goodwin, said an amendment is not needed, pointing to a 2000 law which limits marriage to opposite-sex couples and bars the state from recognizing gay marriages performed out-of-state.
“The Governor believes that West Virginia is currently poised to deflect any outside assault on the definition of marriage,” Goodwin said in the letter to Dys. “Accordingly, the need to convene an extraordinary session of the Legislature is simply lacking.”
Amending the West Virginia constitution requires approval of the legislature and a vote by the electorate.
The Family Policy Council wanted the issue taken up by the legislature now so that it could go on the ballot next year.
Nice. Saying “no” to the religious bullies. Now that’s leadership.
ok…well I am definitely not voting for joe manchin…
Hey, they don’t have Black people to kick around in W. Virginia anymore so why not the Gays?
Old Adolf would have been so proud of how the GOP (and Dixiecrats) has exploited fear and ignorance in opposition to the human rights of the GLBT community in order to advance their own evil agenda of class privilege and lust for power.
The most pathetic thing is the majority in the Black community has joined with their former oppressors in the mob to lynch OUR civil rights in the public square this time.
It is truly sad to see how things change for some people to only find that they have essentially stayed the same for others — and with the help of the “formerly oppressed” too.
…Very sad indeed.
~ Bud Evans
Good!! not given in to the religious zealots!! I hope they keep doing that!
Gov. Manchin feels “WV can deflect any outside assault on the definition of marriage”, don’t misunderstand, he’s a bigot not willing to extend civil rights to us. Not acting isn’t the same as supporting.
I dont think God won this one just a bunch of bigots standing behind a pulpit spewing hate with all hunger and hate in the world we do need Gods love wish they would preach that