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Monthly Archives: February 2011

Did Obama Conspire With Ted Olson On Timing Of DOMA Decision?

February 26, 2011 – 3:08 pm

From FRC's Washington Update:

The administration seems to be coordinating these efforts [to defeat DOMA] with the assault on marriage in the states. Yesterday, within two hours of the President's statement, a document was quietly filed in the Proposition 8 lawsuit. And not just any document, but a 23-page motion that noted the Justice Department's withdrawal from the DOMA case as a reason to lift the stay on Judge Vaughn Walker's ruling.

Why is that significant? Because legal documents of this magnitude take days, if not weeks, to review. Obviously, Ted Olson's team had inside knowledge from someone at DOJ that this decision was coming down--and made sure the Prop 8 challengers were strategically positioned to capitalize on it. If this is true, and Olson's team was fed information before Congress or even the Speaker of the House was made aware, there's something fishy going on.

Source: www.frc.org

By NOM Staff | Posted in DOMA, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (5)

Gingrich: If Palin Took Obama Actions, There Would Be Calls for Impeachment

February 25, 2011 – 6:59 pm

From Newsmax.com:

In an exclusive interview with Newsmax.TV Friday, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich said President Barack Obama’s decision not to fully enforce the Defense of Marriage law eventually could lead to a constitutional crisis, as he has directly violated his constitutional duties by arbitrarily suspending a law.

Gingrich even suggested that, if a “President Sarah Palin” had taken a similar action, there would have been immediate calls for her impeachment. (Continue reading.)

(Source: www.Newsmax.com)

By NOM Staff | Posted in Same Sex Marriage | Comments (11)

AUDIO: Sean Hannity Singles Out NOM's Correct Assessment of Pres. Obama's DOMA Power Grab

February 25, 2011 – 6:47 pm

From this his nationally syndicated radio talk show, Sean Hannity points out how NOM's Maggie Gallagher & Brian Brown are absolutely right about Obama's unconstitutional power grab on marriage.

Source: www.Hannity.com

By NOM Staff | Posted in DOMA, Marriage, President Obama, Same Sex Marriage | Comments Off

VIDEO: Brian Brown Dominates DOMA Debates with SSM activist Sean Eldridge on FoxNews.com

February 25, 2011 – 6:44 pm

From this morning's Live show on FoxNews.com with host Lauren Green:

Source: Fox News

By NOM Staff | Posted in DOMA, Marriage, President Obama, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (4)

Defense of Marriage Act: Obama's Gay Marriage Backfire

February 25, 2011 – 2:15 pm

From The Daily Beast:

Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage, which has helped roll back gay marriage rights in California and other states, says he has been in talks with the offices of House Republican leaders John Boehner and Eric Cantor long before Obama’s decision “because the government was essentially throwing the case. Now the mask is off and it makes it easier for the House to intervene.” Wednesday’s announcement, he says, just makes his lobbying efforts easier. [Continue reading.]

By NOM Staff | Posted in DOMA, Marriage, President Obama, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (10)

Boehner should defend same-sex marriage ban, says Santorum

February 25, 2011 – 1:55 pm

From The Hill newspaper:

One possible Republican presidential candidate is putting pressure on House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) to defend in court the federal law that bans the recognition of gay marriage.

Former Sen. Rick Santorum (R-Pa.), a social conservative who's a dark-horse presidential candidate, said the Speaker needs to step forward after President Obama's decision to direct the Justice Department to drop its defense of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) from judicial challenges. [Continue reading.]

Source: The Hill Newspaper (www.thehill.com)

By NOM Staff | Posted in DOMA, Marriage, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (1)

Boston Phoenix asks "Will the Catholic Church (and NOM) kill gay marriage?"

February 25, 2011 – 11:00 am

David Scharfenberg's take:

[Proponents of SSM in RI] been caught off guard by the prowess of the church, which has joined with the nation’s leading anti-gay marriage group [i.e. NOM] to mount a surprisingly potent defense of the status quo.

Bishop Thomas J. Tobin is summoning lawmakers to his office; the opposition is bombarding legislators with phone calls; and the State House halls echo with chatter about what it all means for the next election. [source]

Photo of NOM-RI's Christopher Plante by Richard McCaffrey (www.thephoenix.com)

By NOM Staff | Posted in Rhode Island, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (7)

Pastor Jim Garlow on Presidents, Governors and Attorney Generals Who Break Oaths

February 25, 2011 – 10:00 am

Dr. Jim Garlow:

The goal of every parent is for his and her child to mature, always tell the truth, and learn to honor their vows. When parents see their child refuse to get along with another child, responding with the “I’m going to take my toys and go,” that mom and dad know they have important truths to teach about how to live life.

But what if those parents do not succeed? What if the child grows up, yet continues to violate his or her word? What if the child grows up never learning how to play fair? Then society is hurt. Hurt badly.

Governors and attorneys general take oaths to defend the laws of their state. Presidents are obligated to enforce the laws of the nation. They swear an oath to do exactly that.

By NOM Staff | Posted in DOMA, Prop 8 | Comments (10)

Catholics defend Cathedral of Lima against gay provocation with prayer

February 25, 2011 – 9:00 am

From CNA:

On Saturday, Feb. 19, hundreds of Peruvian Catholics gathered at the entrance to the Cathedral of Lima to pray a Rosary for Peace in response to a “Kiss-in Against Homophobia.”

This was the second time gay activists staged a “kiss-in,” after their first protest ended with police forcibly removing them from the steps of the cathedral on Feb. 12.

This time they came with the explicit blessing of Lima’s mayor, Susana Villaran, who has voiced her support for homosexual unions on numerous occasions.

Despite a heavy media campaign to promote the Feb. 19 “kiss-in,” only eight people showed up in Lima’s central square.

In response to the planned protest, some 200 Catholics showed up at 3:30 p.m. outside the cathedral and formed a human barrier for more than three hours. The group spent the time peacefully praying the Rosary and singing hymns.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Religious Liberty, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (2)

ALERT: Brian Brown Debates DOMA & Same-Sex Marriage Today at 10 a.m. ET on FoxNews.com

February 25, 2011 – 7:47 am

Please tune in this morning at 10 a.m. ET when FoxNews.com’s live show host Lauren Green moderates the debate over Pres. Obama’s DOMA decree between NOM’s president Brian Brown and Sean Eldridge, political director of Freedom to Marry—a pro-SSM group.

By NOM Staff | Posted in Alerts, DOMA, Marriage, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (2)

NOM's Founding Chairman of the Board on DOMA decision

February 25, 2011 – 7:00 am

Dr. Robert George's brief comments to the Washington Post:

"The previous efforts of the Obama administration and DOJ to defend the law were so inadequate as to raise the suspicion that the Justice Department was deliberately throwing the case," said Robert George, a political science professor at Princeton University who opposes same-sex marriage. "Chances are the law will get a robust defense, and I suspect it will withstand constitutional scrutiny."

By NOM Staff | Posted in DOMA, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (1)

Ed Whelan on how Congress can intervene

February 24, 2011 – 8:00 pm

Ed Whelan at NRO's Bench Memos:

It ought to be a simple matter for the House of Representatives to retain its own counsel to move to intervene to defend DOMA in the various cases in which it is under attack. Indeed, Attorney General Holder, in his letter to Speaker Boehner, expressly states that DOJ attorneys “will notify the courts of our interest in providing Congress a fair and full opportunity to participate in the litigation in those cases.”

In addition to authorizing intervention in defense of DOMA, I’d recommend that the House make clear that it will act to reduce DOJ appropriations by some healthy multiple of the amount its retained counsel charges. A big whack at Holder’s salary may also be in order. [source]

By NOM Staff | Posted in DOMA, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (2)

Obama's Unconstitutional Decree - NOM National Newsletter 2/24/11

February 24, 2011 – 4:47 pm

Dear Marriage Supporter,

The fight is on!

By now you've probably heard the shocking news: Pres. Obama just announced he will no longer defend the Defense of Marriage Act in court.  Already over four thousand of you have responded to our urgent action alert calling on the House to vote to intervene and do the job Pres. Obama doesn't want to do: fight for marriage in court. And the numbers keep pouring in!

Thank you! You rock!

Here's Maggie on Fox News with Megyn Kelly responding to the breaking news:

Obama’s Power Grab: “The Imperial Presidency”

What happened yesterday was an amazing display of arrogance combined with incoherence. Pres. Obama promised to “enforce” the law, but not to “defend” it. What does that mean?

Why the Obama Power Grab Will Backfire

Over at Red State, Curt Levey points out, “President Obama's decision today to abandon the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is both outrageous . . . and a miscalculation.”

The Left’s Endless Culture War

Why the Left will never permit itself to declare victory and stop pushing for more.

As I leave you this week, if you haven't yet contacted your congressman, let me ask you please do it now. If you do just `one thing for marriage in your life, do this today: Go here and tell Congress to fight for marriage!

Then send this link to five of your friends! Urge them to stand now for marriage, and for a government which respects the democratic process.

We will fight this fight for you and with you--for marriage, for common sense, for democracy and our beloved Constitution.

We will fight this good fight and I promise you: We will win!

God bless you and keep you always close to Him,

Brian Brown

Brian S. Brown
President
National Organization for Marriage

P.S. You know what I do here: I ask you if you can donate this week. Fight back with your email alerts and your letters and your phone calls. Fight for us with your prayers. And if you can, this week, reach down and sacrifice to give us the means to tell more people how our rights and our Constitution are being taken away. It takes $10 to reach 1,000 Americans on new media. Can you help us? $100 will reach out to 10,000 others! Thank you again and God bless you, and may God bless America!

By Brian Brown | Posted in Same Sex Marriage | Comments (6)

Republican Study Committee Charmain's statement on DOMA

February 24, 2011 – 4:34 pm

White House Rejects Duty to Defend Marriage Law

Washington, DC – Republican Study Committee Chairman Rep. Jim Jordan released the following statement after the Obama administration announced it would no longer defend the constitutionality of Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defines marriage as between a man and a woman. DOMA was signed into law by former President Bill Clinton with bipartisan support in Congress.

“The Obama administration is making a tragic mistake in walking away from the defense of traditional marriage,” said Chairman Jordan. “A community is only as strong as its most basic unit, the family. Marriage is a cornerstone of the family. Whenever American voters have had a chance to weigh in on the issue, they have voted to define marriage as what marriage has always been.

“The American people deserve to know that their President will uphold and defend the laws of the United States. Since taking office, Attorney General Eric Holder’s defense of DOMA has been inadequate at best. As an excuse to put its political views above the law, the Obama administration applied a different legal standard than what the courts themselves have used.”

To date, more than half the States have codified in their Constitutions the traditional definition of marriage.

By NOM Staff | Posted in DOMA, Same Sex Marriage | Comments (3)

Brian Brown in WaPo: Who will fight for the Defense of Marriage Act?

February 24, 2011 – 4:04 pm

NOM President Brian Brown has a new op-ed published in the Washington Post on President Obama's decision not to defend DOMA. It's online now and will appear in the print edition tomorrow:

How do Democrats in the Obama era respond when they lose elections? By making extraconstitutional end runs around the democratic process, if the disturbing pattern emerging across our nation is any indication.

Democratic legislators in Wisconsin and Indiana have fled their statehouses to prevent votes they know they will lose. In Washington, the administration has, without legislative authority, shifted power to administrative agencies. The thinking seems to be: Do what you want, whether or not the people agree. [Continue reading]