Gay union ban questioned

Some House members eye diversion motive in Bush bid to raise issue in election-year

BY J. JIONI PALMER | Newsday Washington Bureau

June 7, 2006

WASHINGTON - Rep. Tim Bishop says he opposes a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriages not only because he thinks it's bad policy for the federal government to meddle in marital affairs, but also as a matter of principle.

"My own view is that this is a matter of personal conscience for me," said Bishop (D-Southampton), who two years ago presided over a 35th anniversary celebration of a gay couple he had known for nearly three decades.

"Observing this kind of committed relationship is part of what informs my thinking," said Bishop, who voted two years ago against a single-sex-marriage ban.

A hot topic during the 2004 presidential campaign, gay marriage has resurfaced on the national agenda, critics say, in an attempt by President George W. Bush and his GOP allies to focus attention on something other than unfavorable news.

"They want the Iraq war off the front page of the paper," said Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-Mineola), who voted against a ban two years ago.

The Senate is considering a constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage, but it's not given much chance of passage.

The House is expected to consider similar language in July, a spokesman for House Majority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) said yesterday. When the question last came before the House, all local members of Congress voted against a ban except for Peter King (R-Seaford), who voted for it, and Gregory Meeks (D-Far Rockaway), who did not vote. Meeks could not be reached yesterday for comment on his position.

"My question is, is this really the most pressing issue before America today?" said Rep. Joseph Crowley (D-Elmhurst), who supports single-sex marriage. "Did we catch Osama bin Laden?"

Rep. Steve Israel (D-Huntington), who also supports single-sex marriage, says the measure is a "political ploy" to gain advantage at the polls.

"Gas prices are high, Iran is building nuclear weapons, there is no plan in Iraq and the Republicans are trying to convince the American people the biggest threat in their lives is gay marriage," said Israel.

King agreed that politics may be behind the timing of the issue's re-emergence but said that because it was an issue during the last presidential campaign it shouldn't be a surprise that the GOP is talking about it now.

"Obviously this issue does not have to be addressed this week," said King, who said he'd vote in favor of a ban.

Merle Black, a political scientist at Emory University, said the issue has in previous elections helped energize conservative voters, but he isn't sure it will work this time around. "It may well divide the Republican Party in different parts of the country," he said.

Pollster John Zogby said the Republicans' opposition to single-sex marriage could hurt the party with swing voters who feel the GOP is out of the mainstream.

"This is the sort of thing that doesn't help moderate Republicans get elected," he said. "There may not be enough religious conservatives or social conservatives to make this a winning strategy."