My Love Letter to the Maine No on 1 Organizers

by: femlaw

Mon Nov 02, 2009 at 15:19:34 PM EST

Right now, someone on the ground in Maine is swearing like a mother----.  The damn router went down again.  Or a volunteer didn't show up when they were supposed to.  Or someone printed the wrong walk sheet with the wrong script and forgot the map and canvassers got lost and oh sh*t tomorrow is election day and time is running out.

Someone else is looking for that first meal of the day.  Four cups of coffee and half a stale donut from yesterday's supply donated by some volunteers can only get you so far into the afternoon.  It wouldn't be quite so bad if not for that 2-3 hours of sleep you've been getting a night this whole week.  And if your phone would just stop ringing for five minutes maybe you could get a bathroom break.  Except that the field office ran out of toilet paper last night, and no one has had time to get more.

And yet, victory is within your grasp.  The race is so close.  But you can feel the energy - this campaign is different.  You can rewrite the story of marriage equality at the polls.  

You know exactly what you need to do between now and the poll closing tomorrow.  Get. Out. The. vote.  

Federal gov't must investigate NOM's finances

by: Chino Blanco

Thu Sep 24, 2009 at 10:38:04 AM EDT

BEFORE WRITING THIS column, I sat and stared at my computer screen for what seemed like ages trying to figure out a way to make the topic of IRS regulations seem a bit more interesting.

Let's face it, most people just don't want to read about a subject as dry as tax law. Unfortunately, one of the only ways to detect questionable practices by organizations like the National Organization for Marriage is to first acquire the group's tax return, research it in detail, and make public the findings. Not surprisingly, NOM's initial return generated more questions than answers.

Obtaining the return has been an ongoing process spanning many months. On March 25, 2009, the group Californians Against Hate sent a certified request to NOM at their headquarters (20 Nassau St., Suite 242, Princeton, N.J.) for a copy of their 2007 tax return (Form 990). Under IRS regulations, NOM was required to release this information to the group within 30 days or face penalties of $20 per day. As of this week, NOM had not turned over their return to Californians Against Hate.  

(After the break: Danielle sits down with NOM's Executive Director, Brian Brown.)

Anti-gay forces, funded by Catholic Bishop, are on the air in Maine using ad with faked AP headline

by: Joe Sudbay

Tue Sep 15, 2009 at 20:44:30 PM EDT

That headline only exists on anti-gay, wingnut sites like CNS.com. It's not from the Associated Press. We know the AP gets really irritated over use of its content. What will AP do when its content is distorted in a homophobic t.v. ad?  

Don't forget: The Bishop of Maine is financing this effort. He ordered a second collection this past weekend. The Bishop's top aide, Marc Mutty who has been detailed to run the anti-gay campaign, claimed  they "could have raised as much as $100,000 to $300,000."  (Meanwhile, the Bishop is shutting down parishes and trying to launch a capital campaign because of the dire financial situation of the Diocese.)  The Catholic Bishop of Maine learned something from the Mormons who funded the anti-gay Prop. 8 in California last fall. He's "lying for the lord," too.

According to an email from No on 1/Protect Maine Equality campaign manager Jesse Connolly:

Today, our opponents launched their first TV ad -- and not surprisingly, it's full of the same sort of distortion and fear-mongering that was so successful in passing California's Prop 8. They've already bought $700,000 in airtime -- that means every voter in the state will see their ad at least 20 times.

$700,000 for this ad alone. The Bishop is going all out. We can win this one, but our side needs the resources. No on 1/Protect Maine Equality needs resources to counter the lies. Donate here. We can't let the lies win this time.

Cross-posted at AMERICAblog.com.