Rep. Jason Chaffetz Stupid Threat to Challenge D.C.’s Gay Marriage

Rep. Jason Chaffetz, the Utah Republican who backed Congress’ D.C. Defense of Marriage Act, is going to try to overturn marriage equality in D.C., just as he promised in May. Too bad it’s a lost cause.

As the Republican minority leader of the House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee, which oversees D.C., you would think Chaffetz has some pull. But given Congress has only intervened in D.C.’s lawmaking three times in the past 25 years, it would be something of a miracle if the House actually tried exercising its 30-day review period to ban marriage. That, and even Chaffetz knows it’ll be all but impossible: “It’s going to be exceptionally difficult because Democrats have us outnumbered by large amounts. Nevertheless, we’re going to try.”

Once upon a time (read: the run-up to the 2008 election( we would’ve actually agreed with Chaffetz. But that was before we learned even Democrats often willfully ignore, and sometimes impede on the rights of gay Americans. But do we expect Democrats would actually join Republicans to eliminate marriage in D.C. Well, that’s a stretch even for us.