New Jersey, Virginia Democrats Push ‘Gay Marriage,’ Domestic Partners in Lameduck Sessions

From the Family Research Council publication, “Washington Update,” by FRC President Tony Perkins (Dec. 7, 2009):

New Jersey Pops the Question
Less than a week after New York’s same-sex “marriage” bill went down in flames, neighboring New Jersey didn’t seem to learn its lesson. Today, the Trenton statehouse is packed for a six-hour debate in the Senate’s Judiciary Committee over a bill to redefine marriage in the Garden State. More than 300,000 people have signed a petition urging their leaders to reject the measure, but the Left is intent on staging a vote before Gov. Jon Corzine (D) is replaced by pro-marriage Republican Chris Christie. Liberal Democrats have until January 19 to get something done, and their first key vote is this evening. If the bill, S-1967, passes out of the 13-member committee, the entire Senate will vote on the proposal as early as Thursday. If you have friends or family in New Jersey, please ask them to contact their state senators as soon as possible.  [Go to http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/.]

Speaking of throwing a bone to the Left, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine (D) has asked his staff to put together a proposal before he leaves office that would give state employees same-sex partner benefits. Kaine’s successor, Bob McDonnell, is an outspoken opponent of special rights, but it would be his mess to clean up when he takes over for the Kaine next month. According to the Washington Post, “a change of this magnitude” would take a year and a half to implement. Of course, it’s taken a lot less time for the idea to rile up conservatives, who–like New Jersey–see this as a gutless move meant to please a radical constituency after liberals lost in November’s elections. Governors Corzine and Kaine could have acted on this agenda earlier, but both were too afraid of voter backlash–which, ironically, they couldn’t avoid anyway.