N.H. Senator: “Add Marriage Equality To Democratic Party Platform!”

U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen, of New Hampshire, is calling for her party to add specific marriage equality language to its platform when it meets for its national convention this fall.

According to the Concord Monitor,“Shaheen joins former U.S. House speaker Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat, and former Democratic senator Russ Feingold of Wisconsin in calling for the party to endorse same-sex marriage this year. The 2008 Democratic Party platform said “we oppose the Defense of Marriage Act and all attempts to use this issue to divide us.”

The purposed new language, drafted by Freedom to Marry, states,”we support the Respect for Marriage Act and the overturning of the federal so-called Defense of Marriage Act, and oppose discriminatory constitutional amendments and other attempts to deny the freedom to marry to loving and committed same-sex couples.”

“Our party has a long tradition of leading the charge on important questions of justice. Now is the time for the Democratic Party to stand up for the rights of same-sex couples and their families,” Shaheen said in a statement.

The call comes as, “the New Hampshire House is set to vote next month on a bill introduced by Rep. David Bates, a Windham Republican, that would end same-sex marriage in New Hampshire,” reports the newspaper.

Marriage Watch: Christie No; Maryland Yes

Marriage equality backers took to the social networking sites  on Friday to blast New Jersey’s Republican Governor, Chris Christie, for vetoing a bill that would have allowed for same-sex marriage in his state.

Though the veto surprised no one, those who support the legislation say they are disappointed. In a statement following the veto, Freedom to Marry founder and President Evan Wolfson wrote,”By vetoing the bill that would ensure that all loving, committed New Jersey couples and their families can share in the freedom to marry, with all its protections and meaning, Governor Christie planted his feet firmly on the wrong side of history.  Fortunately, his ‘no’ will not be America’s – or New Jersey’s – last word.  It is simply an obstacle we overcome as we continue on the road to liberty and justice for all.”

Not even the plea of fellow Governor and Roman Catholic Christine Gregoire  could persuade Christie not to veto the bill, which passed 42:43 in the assembly on Thursday.

Following the vote thousands of equality supporters too to Twitter to trend #ShameOnYouChris.

Christie’s action, “sets the stage for work to line up the votes needed to override the veto and make the bill law,” writes Wolfson.

It wasn’t all bad news on Friday, however,  a similar bill  made it past the House of Delegates in Maryland.  the bill will now be sent to the Senate, which, according to the Washington Post, “approved a similar measure last year.”

Groundbreaker: Cabinet Secretary Donovan voices Support for Equality

It may not seem like much until you realize he’s the first presidential cabinet secretary to give a speech to a national transgender equality organization AND publicly announce his support for marriage equality.

Then it becomes a pretty BIG deal.

Following a speech last night at the National Center for Transgender Equality Awards Ceremony, U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan told D.C.’s Metro Weekly that he ”absolutely” supports marriage equality.

Metro Weekly reports that,”Donovan is the first cabinet secretary in the Obama administration to support marriage equality, despite the fact that his boss, President Obama, does not. Obama supports civil unions for same-sex couples and says he is ”evolving” on the issue. Although he maintains that the Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional and his administration has stopped defending it in court, Obama has faced criticism from some LGBT advocates and supporters for not supporting marriage equality.”

National LGBTQIA Leaders are applauding Donovan’s words of support. Evan Wolfson, the founder and president of Freedom to Marry tells the Metro,”‘I think Secretary Donovan understands that ending marriage discrimination would help families, while hurting no one, as people are hurting in these tough economic times,” Wolfson says. ”It is the right way to protect the love and the commitment that these couples are celebrating.”

Jerame Davis, interim executive director of National Stonewall Democrats, also noted  that Donvan made history twice last night with both his speech and support of marriage equality.

While Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton has called New York’s recent move to allow same gender marriages, “historic”, she has stopped short of publicly casting her support for marriage equality when and where it counts.

Read the full Article HERE.