FORIMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 17, 2013
Dan Rafter
National Movement Opposing Same-Sex MarriageIs Done
HRC Fact Check on NOM’s New York ThreatsConfirms Downfall
Washington – The Human RightsCampaign today highlighted a new milestone in the march toward full marriageequality: the fall of the empire opposed to same-sex marriage. Widespread losses,sagging poll numbers, and poor investments make it difficult to see hownational groups like the so-called National Organization for Marriage remainviable.
“The missionof groups like NOM is to stop marriage equality,” said Kevin Nix, HRC spokesperson.“That hasn’t happened. In fact, support for marriage equality has spreadlike wildfire the past couple of years and there’s no turning back. With nomomentum and no money, they’ve lost the marriage debate.”
The momentumfor marriage equality is indisputable. Four state legislatures passed same-sexmarriage legislation during 2011-12, and voters in four states for the firsttime in history approved marriage equality on the ballot last November. Thisstring of legislative and electoral victories would not have been possiblewithout Republican support. National and statewide polling consistently showsmajorities – including African Americans, Latinos, millennials, Democrats, andIndependents - back gay and lesbian couples receiving marriage licenses. And marriage equality supporters have moreintensity than opponents, according to a recent post-electionpoll conducted by Greenberg Quinlan Rosner.
Opponents’financing is drying up. They were outspent almost three to one lastyear, $12 million to $34 million in the ballot campaigns. More broadly,tax documents obtained by HRC last fallshow that NOM’s funding declined by one-third for 2011 – and that awhopping 75 percent of the anti-gay organization’s funding came from just twodonors. It’s not surprising then that NOM is unable to follow through on thethreats the group makes to Republicans supportive of marriage equality.
NOMpromised, for instance, that it would spend $2 million to defeat the fourRepublican State Senators in New York who backed the legislature’s same-sexmarriage bill in 2011. NOM then backpedalled,saying it would spend $250,000 in the primary fights. According to NOM PAC NY’scampaign finance reports, it only raised$45,000 and only spent$40,000 in 2012 – nowhere near what it claimed it would spend.
Beyondfunding, NOM’s pressure campaigns – which the group insists have beensuccessful - have produced little return on investment. A new HRC factcheck piece makes clear the effort to oust the four Republicans strictlybecause of their votes on marriage did not work.
“NOM’s threatsto kick Republicans out of office – whether in New York two years ago or inIllinois earlier this month - are empty,” said Nix. “It’s nothing butbluster aimed to instill fear in lawmakers. NOM’s become nothing but a papertiger.”
NOM’sPresident, Brian Brown, just got back from Paris where, he says, he soughtinspiration on how to stop same-sex marriage in America. French PresidentFrancois Hollande campaigned on legalizing same-sex marriage.
TheHuman Rights Campaign is the largest national lesbian, gay, bisexual andtransgender political organization with members throughout the country. Iteffectively lobbies Congress, provides campaign support and educates the publicto ensure that LGBT Americans can be open, honest and safe at home, at work andin the community.
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