Mixner to Dems: Support DOMA Repeal

Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Congressman Barney Frank are among the Democrats whose names do not appear on the list of those who support the bill to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. According to activist David Mixner, the gay community should withhold financial contributions to these legislators until they express their support.

The “Respect for Marriage Act,” introduced by Congressman Jerrold Nadler of New York, would repeal DOMA.

“There is simply no reason why every Democrat is not on that list and also some of our Republicans allies,” writes Mixner.

“Ironically, missing from this list are such obvious ones as Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Democratic leader Steny Hoyer , openly gay Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank, California Congresswoman Maxine Waters, DCCC Chairperson Chris Van Hollen and other key Democrats,” he says.

>>>http://www.advocate.com/News/Daily_News/2009/10/19/Mixner__Support_DOMA_Repeal,_or_Else/

Barney Frank does not believe the repeal of DOMA is achievable in the near term:

+++http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=&sc2=news&sc3=&id=96326+++

Nancy Pelosi agrees with Barney Frank that this is not the right time to repeal DOMA:

+++http://www.examiner.com/x-18104-Sonoma-County-Civil-Rights-Examiner~y2009m9d18-House-effort-to-repeal-DOMA-may-be-sabotaged-by-lukewarm-Democratic-support+++

Both Frank and Pelosi have balked at supporting the effort to repeal DOMA, on the grounds that the timing is bad, and that other gay-rights causes like the inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell (DADT), and The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Prevention Act) have a better chance of passing.