Tag: NOM

Posted on

Possible campaign finance investigation for Rick Santorum and NOM

A complaint filed by former GOP presidential candidate Fred Karger triggered a possible campaign finance investigation for Rick Santorum, NOM and Bob Vander Plaats:

The Federal Election Commission is asking former presidential candidate Rick Santorum, Iowa evangelical leader Bob Vander Plaats and an anti-gay marriage organization to tell the agency why it should not investigate an allegation that they violated campaign finance limits during the last election.

The complaint, brought by Fred Karger, a gay rights activist who ran a quixotic campaign for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012, accuses Santorum of coordinating with the National Organization for Marriage to pay $1 million to Vander Plaats to endorse him, with the money eventually going for ads backing Santorum. That would be a violation of campaign finance law.

The move by the FEC is routine when a complaint meets basic requirements.

In June, the FEC sent letters to Karger and the accused: Santorum, Vander Plaats and NOM. The three now can respond to the FEC with reasons why it should not investigate the matter. “This letter signals the beginning of the beginning,” said Craig Engle a campaign finance attorney at Arent Fox who is not connected to the case.

(via JMG)

Posted on

Brian Brown is rilly, rilly angry about gays getting married again in California

Brian Brown of NOM is super-duper mad that the gays can get married again in California:

In a case that has been marked by judicial arrogance and, frankly, lawlessness since the beginning, three judges of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals late Friday lifted their stay which had been in effect since a trial judge had ruled against Proposition 8.

Same-sex couples began being ‘married’ in California when state officials illegitimately declared Proposition 8 was no longer in force and ordered county clerks to issue marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples immediately!

This, despite the fact that the US Supreme Court decision does not take effect for three more weeks.

It’s another sad example of the utter disregard for the rule of law and judicial propriety by those who swear an oath to uphold the laws of California, and the nation.

It would appear that the desire to impose same-sex marriage by some public officials trumps integrity, fairness, propriety, and even the rule of law. All Americans should be outraged!

This is quickly followed up with a “counting on your $upport” request for more money….

Posted on

National Organization for Marriage launches it’s own avatar

NOM has been developing it’s own avatar to try to compete with the iconic “Equality” symbol from the Human Rights Campaign. You may recall I posted about a meeting describing the development of the new avatar.

They launched it today, urging it’s followers to post for tomorrow’s SCOTUS decision:

I love Zack Ford of ThinkProgress’ response:

Posted on

NOM is optimistic – “We’re going to win”

Hate group leader Brian Brown is already claiming victory in the SCOTUS marriage equality decisions due out tomorrow morning, according to the National Review:

“We’re thinking we’re going to win,” he told me. “And I think that even the other side realizes that they’re not going to get the decision they want.” He added that he thinks pro-same-sex marriage advocates got the timing all wrong, and that tomorrow will bring a huge victory for supporters of traditional marriage.

“This is like the life movement winning Roe,” he said. “This is the Roe decision for marriage. This is not trying to nibble at the edges; this is trying to claim that there is a Constitutional right to redefine marriage. If they lose that, then the highest court in the land will be saying one of their key arguments is wrong, and that will have a big, big, big impact.”

Posted on

National Organization for Marriage looks to copy success of Human Rights Campaign

The anti-gay National Organization for Marriage thinks so highly of the Human Rights Campaign’s work with Facebook and their logo that they’ve had a great idea – copy it!

Wow.  Original.  Marketing fail….

As Jeremy Hooper at NOM Exposed points out, negative/hateful energy may not get the same embrace at the fight for equal rights…

Posted on

National Organization for Marriage chairman alleges “harassment” of donors

NOM Chair John Eastman went for the big “liar, liar, pants on fire” today when he testified of “harassment” of his donors for Prop 8, which NO ONE has EVER documented actually happened.

NO ONE.

Isn’t lying a sin?

What this is is a classic “bait and switch” from the issue at hand to self-serving accusations to divert from  the fact that NOM is not a “social welfare” organization.

Congressman Blumenauer responded to Eastman’s comments on the Huffington Post:

“Let’s get real and stop the charade about what a ‘social welfare’ organization is. Last year, internal National Organization for Marriage (NOM) strategy documents were leaked, stating that the organization seeks ‘to drive a wedge between gays and blacks’ by promoting “African American spokespeople for marriage,’ thus provoking same-sex marriage supporters into ‘denouncing these spokesmen and women as bigots,’ and ‘to interrupt the assimilation’ of Latinos into ‘dominant Anglo culture’ by making the stance against same-sex marriage ‘a key badge of Latino identity.’

“Does this sound like social welfare to you? Social welfare organizations should work in the public interest — not to divide, exploit, and conquer. When I brought this up at the hearing today, Dr. Eastman, Chairman of the Board of NOM, angrily groused, ‘To say that defending traditional marriage doesn’t qualify for defense of the public good is beyond preposterous.’

“To Dr. Eastman, I say that it is the denial of my constituents, and all Americans, the right to marry the person they love is preposterous. To exploit racial and religious differences so you can fundraise for and enforce your specific worldview is preposterous. But your right to be preposterous should not extend to taking political positions under the guise of a social welfare organization, raising money and campaigning.”

– Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) for the Huffington Post

Posted on

Anti-gay voices’ deafening silence on violent LGBT attacks

Pic via Memeographs.  Click pic to enlarge

After last year’s shooting at Family Research Council, many prominent voices in the LGBT community condemned the senseless attack.

However, I have been pondering the deafening silence of the Tony Perkins’ (Family Research Council) and Brian Browns’ (National Organization for Marriage) of the world regarding the multiple violent attacks on the gay community in NYC this month.

Question: does silence equal consent?

UPDATE: Interestingly, the following statement appeared on the NOM Blog this afternoon, hours after my original post above.

“We condemn in the strongest possible way the murder of a gay man in New York by a killer who apparently hurled anti-gay insults at him moments before the killing. This senseless act cannot be condoned in America or anywhere, and we urge that the perpetrator be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. Our heart goes out to the family of the victim, and we hold them in our prayers. While this killing appears to have no connection to the current debate about redefining marriage, there is no room for violence toward any American — whether they support traditional marriage or not. No person should be subjected to violence because they are gay or lesbian or because they believe that marriage is the union of one man and one woman. There is no place for violence, period.” – Brian Brown

UPDATE 2: This statement is now on the Family Research Council website.

Family Research Council President Tony Perkins released the following statement regarding the charges filed in the Mark Carson murder case in New York City: “We denounce any and all acts of unprovoked violence. No American should be the target of violence – period. We hope and trust that justice will be served in that the perpetrator of this senseless act of violence will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” Perkins said.

Posted on

Starbucks would like to thank NOM for boycott leading it’s stock to 12 month high

On one hand, you have to give a little credit to “sticking with it” I guess.

On the other hand?  Well, on the other hand, after 12 months of the National Organization for Marriage’s “boycott” of Starbucks the company’s stock is at a 12 month high.

Oh – and congrats on Delaware, too, NOM – great work.  See you in Minnesota.

(h/t JMG)

Posted on

National Organization of Marriage leader “intentionally” lies – again

“The Senate has abandoned society’s most important institution and put their constituents on a collision course with the law. Lawmakers have allowed themselves to be fooled into thinking they have protected people of faith when in fact they have put those who believe in true marriage in the crosshairs of the law and gay ‘marriage’ activists. It won’t be long before the repercussions begin to be felt.”

“For the first time, the state of Rhode Island is saying to its children they do not deserve both a mother and a father, and are backing a law that is designed to intentionally deprive some kids of either a mom or a dad. It’s bad enough when families break down through divorce or death, but it’s unconscionable when a state encourages this through policies that deprive children of the love of both a mother and a father. This is a very sad day for Rhode Island.” – Hate group leader Brian Brown, who continues to walk down the road of life backwards

First of all, marriage equality isn’t about “intentionally” depriving kids of parents.  It’s about equal rights.

Second, it’s not a sad day Brian.  It’s a “skies are blue” fabulous day for Rhode Island.

The wrong side of history, Brian.  The wrong side of history…