Legislature Quits Without Marriage Vote

But the Fight Is Not Over

The Massachusetts Legislature is expected to adjourn tonight without voting on the Protection of Marriage Amendment - in a continuing effort to deny the citizens of Massachusetts an opportunity to vote on the Amendment. However, the matter is far from over, says Sarah McVay Pawlick, President of Mass. Citizens for Marriage. It will not be over until the end of December, according to her. "Although both the Senate President and the Governor have said they will not do anything to help the Amendment, they have missed the outrage of the voters over this issue. We will help the voters make the politicians realize how upset they are." Although the Governor is required by the state Constitution to call the legislators back if they leave without voting on an Amendment that has been presented by the people, Jane Swift has indicated that she is against the Amendment and will not do so. "However, the Constitution says the Governor 'shall' call the Legislature back," says Pawlick. "She does not have any discretion in this matter. If she doesn't follow the law, she is just as much of a law-breaker as Birmingham. Is our state in total anarchy? That is not setting well with anyone, even those who are against our Amendment."

Pickets Will Greet Legislators Today Pickets will greet the legislators this morning as they arrive at the State House. They will protest the illegal action of July 17 when Tom Birmingham and the other members of the Legislature threw into the trash can the 130,000 signatures that had been gathered last fall for the Protection of Marriage Amendment. "We want to keep everyone aware of this threat to our democracy," said Sarah McVay Pawlick, President of Mass. Citizens for Marriage. The politicians hope the voters will forget this." The pickets have been there all week and will continue to protest until the election in November even though the Legislature will not be in session after today.

MCM Plans to Inform Voters

Pawlick says that supporters from across the state will be meeting to inform the voting public about this misconduct.

She says they will inform the citizens which legislators voted with the Constitution, which voted against the Constitution and which lied to the people.

"We have not missed a beat since the disgraceful July 17 session," she said. "We are putting in place a well-organized grassroots network throughout the state. We are
measuring where our informational initiative can be deployed with greatest
effect."

Pawlick said MCM's "last chance" survey of legislators this past week revealed that most of them still hope their misdeeds will "just go away." But the survey also produced several who said they regretted the Birmingham tactics of bullying them. They believe it will damage the Democratic Party and the legislature.

"We gave them all an opportunity to redeem themselves," said Pawlick.

"That unlawful conduct shocked the entire state. But they have chosen to duck the issue. They are frightened to death to vote against the Amendment. They know the vast majority of the citizens support it. So they just want it to go away.

"The Constitution requires that Sen. Birmingham have the legislators vote on the Amendment. But they voted instead to violate our Constitution and not have such a vote.

"This gross violation of our civil rights must not be permitted."

The reports on Beacon Hill are that Birmingham acted as he did to placate the AFL-CIO, which pressured every legislator, and to gain the support of the rich, activist homosexual organizations. He believes that the voters will quickly forget what happened on July 17 when he broke the law.

MCM is a non-partisan citizens organization, which believes every child deserves a mother and a father. MCM advocates traditional one-man/one woman marriages as public policy.