Utah Senate President Michael Waddoups announced that Chris Buttars, the homophobic scumbag who compared gays to Muslim terrorists, has been stripped of his chairmanship of the Judicial Standing Committee, as well as booted from the committee as a member. Buttars had proudly claimed that he had "killed" every gay bill that he had encountered. In a related move, the Church of Later Day Saints released a statement saying, “From the outset, the Church’s position has always been to engage in civil and respectful dialogue on this issue. Senator Buttars does not speak for the Church.” Video and more fun after the jump.
Waddoups basically says, "Gosh, we think Buttars should be able to say what he wants, but we agree with what he says, well, at least some of it and hopefully now that he's no longer so high-profile, he can say more terrible things." At one point he says he is "four-square" behind Buttars. At the end of the conference, Waddoups is asked if he has anything to say to the gays and he waffles and avoids the question, hiding back barely contained contempt.
Basically, every horrible thing you think about Utah was essentially confirmed in the last few days. First the COmmon Grounds Initiative failed, then Buttars comments leaked and then, while stripping him of his chairmanship, the Senate President says the only reason he's doing so is because it's distracting, not because it's you know, heinous arch-bigotry.
Video Courtesy of KSL.com
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Utah will never vote for a gay president, even if he were a Mormon Republican billionaire. Cause they know they'd be outta the Union faster than you can say "Deal with it."
Both Waddoups and Buttars should resign.
The LSD is quick in saying that but what they don;t mention is that PRIVATELY they hold Luncheons for the commitee to "discuss" issues and Bills coming upm behind closed doors.
Also don;t forget about Buttars and controversial practices of the Utah Boys Ranch while he was in charge and that its funded by LDS Money.
Read the story
http://www.orato.com/lifestyle.....ge-academy
dbuttars@utahsenate.org – that is his email address listed on his site if you want to email :)
The decision to remove Buttars was apparently made in a closed-door Republican caucus meeting. While these meetings include a majority from the State Senate, they are not required to be public because they're defined as GOP meetings under state law. So we'll never know how each person voted, but it's pretty clear that Waddoups voted against removing Buttars.
You know that saying about how if you can say something nice don't say anything at all – I think that's what they mean by civil and respectful. Of course the propositions in California and New Mexico were 'different' matters cause those were 'only' about affirming 'traditional' marriage – pull the other one it's got bells on.
Assholes, all of them.
Yesterday's WaPo had an article about Utah Governor Jon Huntsman's support of the civil union bill. It said while the bill itself is unpopular, the Governor is very popular. Their opinion is that Huntsman has ambitions run for President in 2012, and that taking this position was putting him on the pragmatic (moderate is a dirty word in Republican circles) track, where his competition would be Charlie Crist. Running to the right will be Sarah Palin, Mike Huckabee, and Mitt Romney. This might be a very wise strategy if the country moves enough such that in four years they are too far right.
Maybe the Governor put a (political) contract out on Buttars. One thing is for sure, he crossed someone or this wouldn't have happened.
He's still part of the Rules committee!? That's usually one of the most powerfully committees in State government, allowing a notorious bigot to continue on the rules committee in any capacity is…..
http://www.deseretnews.com/art.....95,00.html
This is just PR message control. Utah has voted down five different measures that would have acknowledged gay rights. The most recent was granting partners hospital visitation rights. What cold-hearted assholes would not be willing to grant this tidbit of human decency? What a fucking hole of a State!
What a POS. I was so pissed off when I heard the crap he spewed that I immediately wrote him an email denouncing his hate speech. Check it out:
http://marriageequalitysilicon.....email.html
This shit has got to stop. When people just come out and talk trash like this against us, it must be vigorously countered and condemned, at every turn.
Dean
It's mind boggling they removed him from chair, but agree with what he said. LOL It's ass backwards, just like UTAH. Go Utah!??