Same-Sex Marriage Again

Iowa Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Bob Vander Plaats is again making same-sex marriage a campaign issue. Earlier today, former Lt. Governor Joy Corning told the Des Moines Register she is lending her voice to a "robocall" effort to promote marriage equality in the state.

Corning was lt. governor under former governor-turned-(almost official) candidate Terry Branstad. Vander Plaats, who voted for Branstad and Corning, sent out this statement late this afternoon:

VANDER PLAATS: CORNING POSITION ON SAME-SEX MARRIAGE,

PROMOTION OF ISSUE IS OUT OF IOWA, U.S. MAINSTREAM

DES MOINES – Former Lt. Gov. Joy Corning’s announcement that she has recorded a statewide call urging Republicans to support same-sex marriage reflects how out of touch she is with mainstream Iowans’ stance on the issue, Republican gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats said this afternoon.

Corning, who was selected by then-Gov. Terry Branstad to serve two terms as his lieutenant governor, said she had recorded the call on behalf of the pro-gay marriage group One Iowa because she believes “it would be nice if we had at least one gubernatorial candidate that was espoused to mainstream traditional centrist values instead of concentrating on those far right social values.”

“This is the sort of thing that happens when you appoint a lieutenant governor who is completely out of step with Iowans’ values,” Vander Plaats said. “As we celebrate Veterans Day, the beauty of America is that our men and women in the military fought to protect our rights, including the right to free speech. The former lieutenant governor is entitled to her opinion, but I’m certain that she is the one who is outside of the mainstream not only in Iowa but across the United States. The belief that the institution of marriage as one man and one woman is simple, settled and overwhelmingly supported. That is why voters in 31 states that have voted on the issue have voted every single time to affirm marriage as one man and one woman. It is the foundation of our society.”

The Sioux City Republican said the timing of Corning’s call is “too obvious to overlook.”

“Terry Branstad enters the governor’s race on Saturday night without stating where he truly stands on the issue and on Tuesday night his lieutenant governor does an automated call urging Iowans to support same-sex marriages. All of that takes place not too long after his former chief of staff wrote an opinion piece saying the Republican Party needs to nominate a candidate with ‘centrist’ views on social issues,” Vander Plaats said. “Urging Iowans to support same-sex marriage is not only out of touch with Republican values but it is overwhelmingly out of touch with Main Street Iowa.”

He added, “If you listened closely to his speech on Saturday night, Terry Branstad did not say he supports one-man, one-woman marriage. He said he would break the legislative logjam that is preventing a referendum by Iowans. That’s not the same thing. If he wants to break the road block, he should join me by committing to sign an executive order banning additional same-sex marriages on day one in office until Iowans have a right to vote on the issue.”

Vander Plaats Ad on Drudge

Last week three-time Iowa Republican Gubernatorial candidate Bob Vander Plaats challenged Governor Chet Culver to issue an executive order staying the Iowa Supreme Court's permitting same sex marriage. Culver's office scoffed at the idea, saying that a governor doesn't have the ability. Drake University Constitutional Law Center Director Mark Kende agreed that Culver couldn't issue the order even if he wanted to do it. Well, he could. But it wouldn't be legally valid.

Today, I found the ad above that Vander Plaats' campaign put on "The Drudge Report" this weekend. When you click on it and vote, you get directed to Team VP's fundraising link.

Vander Plaats Condemns McCoy Death Threats

Likely (probably more than just "likely") Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Bob Vander Plaats just sent out a release condemning the death threats against the Iowa legislature's only openly gay lawmaker. Here it is...

VANDER PLAATS: DEATH THREAT AGAINST SENATOR MCCOY
“DEPLORABLE, WRONG WAY TO OPPOSE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE”

DES MOINES – Bob Vander Plaats released the following statement today in response to a report that state Sen. Matt McCoy, an advocate of same-sex marriages, received a death threat on Monday:

“Matt McCoy and I fundamentally disagree on the same-sex marriage issue and other issues, but I deplore anyone who would make a death threat against him or anyone else under any circumstance. Such action is morally wrong and, in fact, illegal. The same-sex marriage issue is probably the most emotionally charged public policy issue in the past 40 years but threats against any individual or group are absolutely the wrong way to express opposition to it or the Iowa Supreme Court’s April 3 opinion. I want to make it clear in the strongest possible language that I will never condone threats of violence against another person. Anyone make such a threat such be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.”

Anti-Same Sex Rally, Rants Tax Plan

More than 200 Iowans rallied in the rain at the Iowa Statehouse against the Iowa Supreme Court's recent ruling that permitted same sex marriage in the state. The conservative group, Everyday America, sponsored the gathering. During the rally, Bob Vander Plaats, a likely Republican candidate for governor in 2010, challenged Governor Chet Culver to issue an executive order that would stay the court's ruling. Vander Plaats wants Culver to delay implementation of same sex marriages until Iowans have a chance to vote on a constitutional amendment that would ban same sex marriages. Vander Plaats told the crowd, "On my first day in office (if he is elected governor), I will issue an executive order that puts a stay on same sex marriages until the people of Iowa vote."

Vander Plaats also mentioned his mother told him his dying father's only regret last week was that same sex marriage is now permitted in the state. He said that's not what his father, who was a World War II veteran, fought for years ago.

Governor Chet Culver's office says he will not issue an executive order on the matter of same sex marriages. Culver's spokesman, Troy Price, issued a statement. It said, "Governors in Iowa do not have the ability to prevent or overturn a decision of the Supreme Court through an executive order. It's disappointing that some people, especially politicians who should know better, would try to mislead the public into thinking that Governors do have such power."

Drake University's Constitutional Law Center Director Mark Kende agreed that even if Culver wanted to issue that order, he "doesn't have that authority." Kende compared the matter to the fight in the 1960s when southern governors tried to stop segregation efforts. He said the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against them.

The same sex marriage debate could also get infused into Iowa Democrats' efforts to overhaul the state's tax system. Democrats are working on a proposal that would eliminate federal tax deductibility. They say they would use the additional state revenue to lower the overall income tax rates of Iowans. The proposal would lower taxes on some Iowans and raise taxes on others. Monday afternoon, Christopher Rants, a Republican state representative from Sioux City (and possible GOP candidate for governor next year), offered an amendment that aims to lead to a debate on same sex marriage. Rants believes if lawmakers debate changes to Iowa's tax system, then they will have to debate the legal definition of "husband" and "wife". Rants said, "Sort of marry the issues together (tax changes and same sex marriage). If we're going to give a tax benefit to married persons...to husbands and wives that are filing their tax returns...I think we need to define what is a husband, what is a wife, what constitutes married persons for the purpose of the iowa code."

Iowa house Democrats had no immediate reaction to Rants' amendment Monday afternoon. Earlier in the day, they had scheduled debate on federal deductibility changes for Tuesday afternoon. But aides say Speaker of the House Pat Murphy is out of town tending to a family matter. As of 7pm Monday, it was uncertain whether he would be in Des Moines to preside over debate on tax changes. Aides say it is possible debate could be delayed until later in the week. Iowans for Tax Relief has already announced it plans to bring members to the Iowa statehouse Tuesday to lobby lawmakbers to oppose the tax changes.