False tweets could result in Senate ethics complaint against GOP’s Hoffman, Brodkorb

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Sen. Barb Goodwin, DFL-Columbia Heights, told Senate colleagues on Wednesday night that she is planning to file an ethics complaint against Sen. Gretchen Hoffman, R-Vergas, after Hoffman accused Goodwin of calling people suffering from mental illness “idiots and imbeciles.” In fact, Goodwin was referring the history of the treatment of the mentally ill in Minnesota and progress made since the state referred to them as “idiots and imbeciles.” Hoffman refused to apologize Wednesday night. Goodwin spoke on the Senate floor about the historical treatment of the mentally ill in Minnesota.Following that, Sen. Hoffman sent out a tweet, stating that Goodwin was calling those with mental illness names:Goodwin was incensed over that characterization. “I expect a public apology,” she said. “I have worked with children with mental illness. [Hoffman] clearly understood what I said. Continue Reading

Gingrich gets glitter-bombed by pro-gay protester

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At a book signing in downtown Minneapolis on Tuesday, presidential candidate Newt Gingrich found himself covered in glitter. Gingrich was in town raising funds for the Minnesota Family Council along with fellow presidential contender Rep. Michele Bachmann. Prankster Nick Espinosa shouted, “Feel the rainbow, Newt,” as he poured glitter on the former Speaker of the House. “Stop the hate. Stop anti-gay politics. Continue Reading

‘That’s not pro-liberty’: Conservatives come out against GOP marriage amendment

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While state Republicans are spearheading the contentious move to put a constitutional amendment barring same-sex marriage on the ballot next year, not all conservatives are behind them. In recent weeks, a number of conservatives — ranging from small-government and libertarian groups to gay Republicans — have spoken out against codification of marriage laws within the Minnesota Constitution. Some say the amendment is contrary to liberty, while others have taken on social conservative groups such as the Minnesota Family Council.Minnesotans for Limited Government is a conservative political action committee that favors smaller government and supports Ron Paul for president. It came out against the GOP-backed anti–gay marriage amendment this week. “It has always been the stance of MNLG that marriage is a sacrament, and therefore outside the jurisdiction of the state. Continue Reading

DFLers offer bill to repeal state Defense of Marriage Act

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Minnesota Democrats introduced a bill on Monday that would repeal the state’s Defense of Marriage Act, which prohibits same-sex couples from benefiting from the rights and responsibilities of marriage. The bill, the Marriage and Family Protection Act, was offered just as heated debate at the Capitol continues over a proposed constitutional amendment that would write a ban on gay marriage into the state constitution. “Marriage is a legal institution recognized by the state to promote stable relationships and to protect people in those relationships and their children,” the bill states. “Minnesota’s current marriage law discriminates against same-sex couples, denying them and their families rights and responsibilities, including the right to pension and Social Security survivor’s benefits, the right to family and medical leave, and numerous other benefits and obligations. The state has an interest in encouraging stable relationships regardless of the gender or sexual orientation of the partners and the entire community benefits when couples undertake the mutual obligations of marriage.” The bill removes language from Minnesota statutes stemming from the 1997 Defense of Marriage Act. Continue Reading

Sen. Dibble on gay marriage vote: ‘The GOP made a grave, grave mistake’

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Reaction to the passage of a Republican anti–gay marriage amendment in the Minnesota Senate on Wednesday was swift. “They have made a grave, grave mistake, and I think they will see that soon,” Sen. Scott Dibble, DFL-Minneapolis, the only member of the LGBT community in the Senate.  The bill’s author, Maple Grove Republican Warren Limmer, dodged questions by Dibble and reporters about whether he thinks same-sex marriage is immoral and whether the measure was really about morality. Though he didn’t answer, Limmer has made his opposition to homosexuality very clear in his 20 years in office. Dibble chastised Republicans who seemed shy to speak on the Senate floor in support of the amendment. During three hours of debate, only Limmer and Sen. Paul Gazelka, R-Brainerd, spoke in favor of the amendment. Continue Reading

Minnesota Senate votes to put constitutional amendment on gay marriage before voters

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The proposal to place a question on the 2012 ballot that would alter the Minnesota Constitution to ban same-sex marriage passed the Senate on Wednesday afternoon by a vote of 38 to 27. The measure is waiting its final committee hearing in the House before that chamber votes on it. Virtually all of the testimony on the Senate floor was in opposition to the bill, which led one legislator to question whether supporters were ashamed to speak in support of it. The bill’s author, Sen. Warren Limmer, R-Maple Grove, said, “There’s a growing uncomfortableness with a small group of politicians in St. Paul deciding this issue and an uncomfortableness of the possibility of a small number of judges deciding this.” He added, “This proposal is simply to give the voters an opportunity to define marriage as between one man and one woman and place that in our state constitution.” Sen. Scott Dibble, DFL-Minneapolis, asked the senators what is so different about his relationship. Continue Reading

After viral video fame, Rep. Simon slammed by religious right for pro-gay comments

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Rep. Steve Simon, DFL-St. Louis Park, briefly flirted with folk hero status in the LGBT community and beyond last week after comments he made in opposition to an anti–gay marriage amendment went viral. He asked, “How many gays must God create before we accept that he wants them around?” And with that increased attention, Simon has drawn the ire of religious right figures who have called him “evil” and a “blasphemer” who should be immediately removed from office. Video of Rep. Simon’s remarks have generated just under 500,000 views on YouTube:That footage drew harsh criticism from Pat Robertson’s Christian Broadcasting Network and Exodus International, a group that says it can convert gays and lesbians to heterosexuality through the power of Jesus Christ. Exodus International’s Randy Thomas questions Simon’s theology at the 9:30 mark:“This is their life and they want your children,” said James White of the Alpha and Omega Ministries. Continue Reading

Details scant on marriage amendment poll touted by GOP

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A recent poll finds that a majority of Minnesotans want to vote on whether to put an amendment to ban gay marriage in the Minnesota Constitution, but the groups touting the survey are remaining mum about the poll’s details. The data has been used by testifiers in committees in support of banning gay marriage, by Republicans at Capitol press conferences and by interest groups to the media. It was commissioned by the Minnesota Family Council and the National Organization for Marriage — two groups that oppose relationship rights for same-sex couples — and was conducted by Lawrence Research, whose president is a Mormon organizer who worked to pass Prop 8 in California. Neither the Minnesota Family Council nor the National Organization for Marriage responded to requests by the Minnesota Independent to see the polling data, and Lawrence Research said it could not release polling data that was purchased by an outside group. Lawrence Research is run by Gary Lawrence, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and the grassroots director of Project Marriage, a group that helped halt gay marriage in California’s contentious Prop 8 initiative campaign. Continue Reading

ACLU seeks stop to Northfield school’s censoring of LGBT web content

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The American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota is demanding that the Northfield School District stop filtering LGBT internet content on the district’s computers. Calling it unconstitutional, the group sent a letter to the district calling for a halt to the filtering as well as a data practices request to identify how the filters got put into place. The move is part of the ACLU’s broader “Don’t Filter Me” project to prevent filtering of LGBT content. ”LGBT youth face a lot of challenges growing up in today’s society. The websites that are being filtered by Northfield are important resources for LGBT teens to go to for support and help, it is unfortunate that they would block these sites,” said ACLU-MN attorney Teresa Nelson in a statement. Continue Reading

Anti-gay groups to boost spending, activity through 2012

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Anti-gay rights groups around the country will see a cash infusion over the next two years through a plan called “Ignite an Enduring Cultural Transformation.” And the groups are remaining mum about who is responsible. The campaign, which largely targets states where Republicans won control of legislatures or governorships, has garnered the support of Republican political superstars such as former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (Va.), Sens. Marco Rubio (Fla.) and Jon Kyl (Ariz.), and Rep. Trent Franks (Ariz.). The groups intend to pass anti-gay marriage amendments, curtail abortion rights and, in at least one case, ban “transgender bathrooms.” Family policy councils — a creation of Focus on the Family in the 1980s — have launched the Ignite plan in 15 states. Each family policy council has a three-prong plan to achieve their legislative goals over the next two years: lobbying for legislation, mobilizing pastors and social conservatives and supporting candidates that have backed their initiatives. Continue Reading