FOX News Channel is reporting via Associated Press that aides to Governor Schwarzenegger say he will veto the same-sex marriage legislation passed by the California Assembly yesterday.

UPDATE: Yahoo News is now reporting the story.

Schwarzenegger said the legislation, given final approval Tuesday by lawmakers, would conflict with the intent of voters when they approved a ballot initiative five years ago. Proposition 22 prevents California from recognizing same-sex marriages performed in other states or countries.

“We cannot have a system where the people vote and the Legislature derails that vote,” the governor’s press secretary, Margita Thompson, said in a statement. “Out of respect for the will of the people, the governor will veto (the bill).”

Despite his promised veto, Schwarzenegger “believes gay couples are entitled to full protection under the law and should not be discriminated against based upon their relationship,” the statement said.

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

Hat tip: BoifromTroy

BFT received the news via an email from Equality California:

With only vague comments, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed AB 866, authored by Assembly Speaker pro Tem Leland Yee (D-San Francisco/Daly City) and sponsored by Equality California, which was designed to prevent discrimination against Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) individuals in political campaigns. This was the first of many bills Equality California sponsored this year to make it to the Governor’s desk.

“We are extremely disappointed by Governor Schwarzenegger’s veto of legislation that would have added LGBT people to the list of groups covered by the Fair Political Practice Act’s Voluntary Pledge,” said Geoffrey Kors, Executive Director of Equality California. “Regardless of what he thinks about the enforceability of the Voluntary Pledge, it is ludicrous to exclude one group of people from the rights and protections granted to others. The exclusion of LGBT citizens in this case is just simply an unacceptable form of discrimination.”

Here is the statement from Governor Schwarzenegger –

To the Members of the California State Assembly:

I am returning Assembly Bill 866 without my signature.

I strongly support clean and fair campaigns. The Code of Fair Campaign Practices is unenforceable other than through the exercise of the vote at the ballot box. Candidates and campaigns are free to make their case to the voters about whether their campaign follows or their opponent ignores “basic principles of decency, honesty, and fair play.” I trust the people to be the best judge of conduct of a campaign when they exercise their franchise to vote. I am confident that they will reject candidates that use appeals to negative prejudices against any group of people.

Sincerely,

Arnold Schwarzenegger

BFT says: “The move is stunning, because Schwarzenegger had signed four pieces of pro-gay legislation in 2004. However, given the ungrateful attitude of the gay community since, and the support of many gay activists for a multi-million dollar ad campaign against him, what can you expect?”

(GP Ed. Note — I at first thought this was a veto of the same-sex marriage legislation that passed yesterday. My apologies for the initial posting.)

Is this a signal as to what Arnold will do with the gay marriage legislation? Time will tell.

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

From MediaBistro:

FLASH — FNC [FoxNewsChannel] had 34 out of the 40 top programs in cable last week — not cable news — but all of CABLE, according to Nielsen. CNN had 2.

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

CA Assembly OK’s Gay Marriage

Log Cabin Republicans praise…. (full news release here)

(Sacramento, CA) – “Log Cabin applauds the California legislature for this historic vote in favor of basic fairness for gay and lesbian families,” said Patrick Guerriero, President of Log Cabin Republicans. The California Assembly followed the California State Senate in passing the historic legislation authored by Mark Leno, which provides civil marriage equality to all couples who want to commit their lives to each other.

“Now that the people of California have spoken through their elected representatives, we call on the Governor to respect this decision and the legislative process, and allow this legislation to become law,” continued Guerriero. “Governor Schwarzenegger has been a committed ally of LGBT equality and we thank him for his support in the fight for basic fairness for our families.”

….while the folks at the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force were overheard to be saying…. “Well, at least Californians that are put in Bush’s gay concentration camps can get married.”

And at the Human Rights Campaign rumors spread that “If John Roberts becomes Chief Justice… same-sex sex will be banned! Happy Hour at JRs tonight!”

My only comment is…. I’m torn between the will of the people and the will of the elected representatives. I think this is an important step. But what do the 61% of Californians who voted against same sex marriage in the Year 2000 think about their elected representatives? I don’t know. I admit I struggle with it.

Of course I still don’t get how gay marriage=equal rights…and none of the GayLefties have fully explained it either (except saying it is George Bush’s fault, of course).

Here’s a round-up of different reactions across the spectrum to the CA legislative decision.

(more…)

A quick-on-the-trigger GayPatriot reader got this shot of Rev. Fred Phelps (his website here) and his followers just finished picketing at the funeral of Chief Justice William Rehnquist in downtown Washington, DC.

They had set up camp between the offices of the Human Rights Campaign (at 17th & Rhode Island) and St. Matthews Cathedral where the funeral is taking place.

Our GP Correspondent reports:

They just packed up and left since the C-SPAN cameras were leaving, but they were there for a good two hours until the funeral got started. Not sure if you’ll be able to make out the second sign from the right, but it says “Thank God for Katrina.” Other signs not pictured included “Thank God for AIDS,” “Too late to pray,” and “God is America’s Terrorist.” That’s Phelps in the middle with the red, white and blue windbreaker and red cap.

They’re also dragging American flags all around on the ground and spitting on them.

What does all this hate actually accomplish? A lot of people in America need to ask themselves that question. There isn’t a lot of distance between the ignorant hatred expressed here, and those we see leveled against the American troops in harm’s way. Need I go on?

Oh yeah, Phelps is an avowed liberal Democrat.

In the 1980s, the Phelps family were strong political allies with then-senator Al Gore. The home of Fred Jr., Phelps’ eldest son, located in the Westboro compound, acted as Gore’s campaign quarters for one of his senate races, and the Westboro compound was host to a fundraiser. Numerous photos exist on the internet of Fred Phelps Jr. and his second wife, Betty Phelps-Schurle, posing with Al and Tipper Gore in Phelps Jr.’s home. Phelps also served as a Gore delegate on the floor of the Democratic National Convention in Atlanta in 1988. (link with photos.)

Just to put hate in perspective.

-Bruce (GayPatriot)

Hat tip – Queer Conservative

DRUDGE REPORT FLASH:
CNNUSATODAYGALLUP POLL: ONLY 13% BLAME BUSH?
Wed Sep 07 2005 10:42:26 ET

A CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll of 609 adults taken September 5-6 shows:

Blame Game — 13% said George W. Bush is “most responsible for the problems in New Orleans after the hurricane”; 18% said “federal agencies”; 25% said “state and local officials”; 38% said “no one is to blame”; 6% had no opinion. — 29% said that “top officials in the federal agencies responsible for handling emergencies should be fired”; 63% said they should not; 8% had no opinion.

MORE

Government Performance — 10% said George W. Bush has done a “great” job in “responding to the hurricane and subsequent flooding”; 25% said “good”; 21% said “neither good nor bad”; 18% said “bad”; 24% said “terrible”; 2% had no opinion. — 8% said federal government agencies responsible for handling emergencies have done a “great” job in “responding to the hurricane and subsequent flooding”; 27% said “good”; 20% said “neither good nor bad”; 20% said “bad”; 22% said “terrible”; 3% had no opinion. — 7% said state and local officials in Louisiana have done a “great” job in “responding to the hurricane and subsequent flooding”; 30% said “good”; 23% said “neither good nor bad”; 20% said “bad”; 15% said “terrible”; 5% had no opinion.

Developing…

By the way, I can already predict the comment thread….. “Bush is evil.” “Gay marriage.” As PatriotPartner said, I could post a picture of a kitten and the comments would be “there would be more kittens if George Bush hadn’t invaded Iraq”… and….. “that kitten is the reason I can’t see my partner in the hospital.”

Oy. I’m in a foul mood today.

-Bruce (GayPatriot)