John Boehner's Defense Of DOMA Now A Rallying Point For Democrats

WASHINGTON -- President Barack Obama may not want to talk about gay marriage, but House Democrats are ready to fire up the base on the issue.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee on Monday sent an email to supporters urging them to sign a petition that condemns House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) for defending the Defense of Marriage Act in court.

The email lands on a day when the White House is scrambling to keep the public's attention on Obama's record on gay rights -- which includes no longer defending DOMA in court -- and not on his elusive position on gay marriage.

"I was proud when the Obama administration stopped defending the discriminatory 'Defense of Marriage Act' (DOMA) after the Justice Department concluded that the law was unconstitutional. It is imperative that all Americans receive equal protection under the law -- including our LGBT men and women in uniform and their spouses," the DCCC email reads. "That's why I was shocked to hear that Speaker John Boehner decided to use our tax dollars to intervene and stand up for DOMA to deny LGBT Americans the rights they deserve. This is discrimination -- plain and simple."

"We can't afford to waste taxpayer money on Boehner’s bigotry."

The email links out to a petition that criticizes Boehner and other House Republican leaders for spending as much as $1.5 million in taxpayer dollars to defend the ban. The petition also knocks GOP leaders for intervening in cases affecting military veterans receiving benefits for their partners.

"No one who risks their lives for their country should have to return home to face prejudice from our nation’s elected leaders," the petition reads. "Tell Boehner and Cantor: Stop spending millions of taxpayer dollars defending the discriminatory 'Defense of Marriage Act.'"

House Republicans began defending DOMA in April 2011 after Attorney General Eric Holder announced that the administration found the law to be unconstitutional and would no longer defend it in court. Boehner, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor (R-Va.) and House Majority Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) took over its defense.

A Boehner spokesman declined to comment.

Also on HuffPost:

Comments

[shifafa]

04:33 PM on 05/09/2012

Part 2...#2) "miketg" "
I love the dem strategy: keep attempting to deflect the public from the economy" I very much dislike that baggerstein's only stated goal is to sabotage the POTUS!
#3) "icurhine" "There is no "Bigotry" here. DOMA is the law." It is a discriminatory law, based on hatred, ignorance and a false religeon!
#4) "mover" "Eric Holder, “the President has instructed the Department not to defend the statute in such cases. I fully concur with the President’s determination.” This our president and his authoritarian governance."
The JOB of the DOJ is to defend the defenseble and to challenge the unConstitutional, which these baggerstan laws are, On Their Face!
Tell the lies as often as you feel necessary. They remain hateful UnAmerican LIES!
You are three of the most wrongheaded, terminally stupid, unAmerican trolls here. Please get right with your "god" or get lost!

[miketg]

11:21 PM on 05/08/2012

I love the dem strategy: keep attempting to deflect the public from the economy. Now they are attacking the law of the land and blaming Boehner for a law they don't like. Wonder if the dems will ever focus on the economy, job creation (or the lack thereof), deficit reduction, or their plans for fixing medicare. These are the things the independents who will decide this election want to hear about.

[icurhine]

09:32 PM on 05/08/2012

This is an HP spin headline. There is no "Bigotry" here. DOMA is the law. Just because the POTUS delares it unconstitutional doesn't make it so since he has no authority by our Constitution to do so. Unless you want to make him dictator.

[Despyria]

01:36 AM on 05/09/2012

Trollishness, DoJ is not the President.

[Mover]

01:28 PM on 05/09/2012

"Trollishness, DoJ is not the President. "

The President told Holder not to defend a duly constituted law.

Eric Holder, “the President has instructed the Department not to defend the statute in such cases. I fully concur with the President’s determination.” http://tinyurl.com/4z5engk

This our president and his authoritarian governance.

He told us that he would bypass congress when it suited him.http://tinyurl.com/3rqqnom

This Constitutional Scholar, President Obama, does not believe in the US Constitution's contract with America and he does not support or defend it.

Can you say, "Rogue government"?

[Jamie Kowalski]

12:18 PM on 05/09/2012

Your post is line for line almost identical to the one below yours. What site are you guys copying and pasting from today?

[Mover]

01:30 PM on 05/09/2012

I got mine from ABC news. A member of the legacy media and unindicted conspirator in the undermining of the US Constitution.

[ecyornagol]

08:58 PM on 05/08/2012

No "Bigotry" here. Another HP super spin. DOMA is the law of the land and the Justice Department doesn't have the power to proclaim it unconstitutional. Don't like it, change the law or let the SCOTUS decide. That's how our Constitution works. Letting any president declare a law unconstitutional based on his personal ideology is simply wrong, dangerous for our country, and just plain arrogant beyond belief. What is he, out dictator?

[strykerthree]

09:48 PM on 05/08/2012

Obama can't win on his record so they have to bring race, class warfare and homosexuality into the election.

[jumpencatfish]

10:44 PM on 05/08/2012

You are so wrong.

[Mover]

01:30 PM on 05/09/2012

You are so right.

[ecyornagol]

08:52 PM on 05/08/2012

You people keep telling me abortion is the law of the land, well, so is DOMA.

[strykerthree]

09:48 PM on 05/08/2012

And a great law it is.

[ecyornagol]

08:49 PM on 05/08/2012

"the Justice Department concluded that the law was unconstitutional" When did we give that power to the JD? Another breach of the U.S. Constitution by our dictator Obama.

[tombaan]

10:28 PM on 05/08/2012

I thought our last Dictator was Bush who did what he wanted including war with a nation which did us no wrong....

[ecyornagol]

08:57 AM on 05/09/2012

Congress approved of our efforts in Afghanistan and Iraq, unlike Obama who never asked Congress about going into Libya.

[Mover]

01:57 PM on 05/09/2012

The history is only Democratic party affiliated presidents attack other countries without informing Congress. Clinton never asked Congress before invading Haiti. Obama never asked Congress before ordering air strikes in Libya. President GHW Bush got a UN resolution before attacking Iraq in 1991. President GW Bush did the same.

History.... Know it.

[shifafa]

03:50 PM on 05/09/2012

That is their JOB!

[Mover]

01:07 PM on 05/10/2012

"That is their JOB! "

Not.

Read the US Constitution and the Federalists. It is obvious that you haven't a clue.

[Givemeliberty54]

08:24 PM on 05/08/2012

Sorry but marriage and its definition have been established for eons. It is not discriminatory to support the reality that marriage is between a single man and a single woman. It has always been that way.

I fail to see how it discriminates against anyone to defend that. Gay couples are entitled to live thier lives without discrimination, but that does not entitle them to remake society to fit their definitions.

[tombaan]

10:30 PM on 05/08/2012

sorry disagree....Abraham the father of all believers had two wives, so did many of the biblical characters...one man and one woman is a recent creation when you compare with human history where in multiple wives was a norm still is in some nations....

[Michigan Joe]

10:39 PM on 05/08/2012

And he had slaves

[Givemeliberty54]

11:17 PM on 05/08/2012

Agreed that there were exceptions with numbers of wives in a marriage, but certainly history is not replete with example after example of two men or two women being married, Many cultures, in fact the majority of cultures were one man and one woman.
So I think my statement is overall accurate, dont you?

[shifafa]

03:54 PM on 05/09/2012

In whose world? YOUR byble (babel) makes no mention of marrige being "between a man and a woman." I'll give you the 19th century but EONS? Prove it, with documentation of FACTS! You're blowing smoke, son.

[NickyBishop]

07:41 PM on 05/08/2012

I still can't believe this religious dogma masquerading as policy is still around. Our LGBT friends aren't treated equal in any respect. It's time to really have separation of church and state in this country. These folks are people too, I can't believe we are having this conversation in this day and age. Thanks Christianity, great job at loving thy neighbor.

[Mover]

01:59 PM on 05/09/2012

"religious dogma masquerading as policy "

Religious or natural?

[Danceroflife]

07:38 PM on 05/08/2012

Boehner's watery eyes betray him; he is in late-middle stage alcoholism. He and GW Bush are two pickled peas of a pod.

[rwnbns]

06:51 PM on 05/08/2012

Why is equality so difficult to achieve? Isn't it just the right thing to do, especially supporting those who are fighting for our country?

[Mover]

01:35 PM on 05/09/2012

"Why is equality so difficult to achieve?"

It is so hard because there is no such thing. Everyone is different.

[rwnbns]

09:09 PM on 05/09/2012

I agree, everyone is different. Everyone is unique. But that doesn't mean that they should have less rights than anybody else.

[Lorraine Danese]

06:24 PM on 05/08/2012

Couple Words John how many Jobs has Congress created in these 3 years? 0 +0=0 hooray

[Linda Schatzer]

05:51 PM on 05/08/2012

all I know is every woman in this country b etter take heed of the GOP....they are not pro woman at all. Women's rights will suffter terribly if they get Romney elected.

[cavegal]

05:58 PM on 05/08/2012

I live in the South and know of a lot of registered Republican female voters that are voting for President Obama.  They do not wish to return to the 15th century!

[Mover]

02:07 PM on 05/09/2012

Now that's funny. I don't care who you are.

[sarahsahasbeen]

05:50 PM on 05/08/2012

Don't forget, Mr. Boehner - when the courts in MASS decided DOMA was unconstitutional, Mitt Romney - yes that Mitt Romney - ordered all town clerks to issue marriage licenses to same sex couples. Your standard bearer agreed with the MASS courts that DOMA is unconstitional. Why are you wasting the taxpayers' money, Mr. Boehner?

[Mover]

02:09 PM on 05/09/2012

"DOMA is unconstitional."

And how is it unconstitutional? It does not infringe on anyone's protected rights, nor does it infringe on states' powers.

[cmcwfc]

05:42 PM on 05/08/2012

T-Pubs are good at Bigotory... First they wanted to give GWB credit for killing OBL. Then Mitt Romney wants to take credit for the auto industry turn around. Don't these people have any shame???

[Citizen13]

06:52 PM on 05/08/2012

No shame at all, and they are not done by any means.

[Michigan Joe]

10:41 PM on 05/08/2012

It's not shame, it's ignorance and lies.

[shifafa]

05:11 PM on 05/08/2012

Hey john-boy, start packin', you only have six months left in your reign of terror...Can't wait to dance on your sorryass grave, you alchohol soaked lout...
"Monitor" THIS: http://www.rense.com/general37/char.htm if you love fascism!

[Michigan Joe]

10:43 PM on 05/08/2012

John will need to remember that when addressing the new speaker of the House it will "Madam Speaker"