The Respect for Marriage Act cleared a major hurdle last night when it was passed its first hearing in the Senate. It passed 62-37, with 12 Republicans voting for it. One GOP member who voted against it was South Carolina’s Lindsey Graham.
Graham took to Twitter to explain his reasons, saying the bill doesn’t offer enough protection for religious liberty.
“I just voted against the “Respect for Marriage Act” that is supposed to protect gay marriage without creating risks to religious freedom and religious institutions,” Graham said.
I just voted against the “Respect for Marriage Act” that is supposed to protect gay marriage without creating risks to religious freedom and religious institutions.
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) November 16, 2022
“Nothing in the bill adds new protections for gay marriage, but it does, in my view, create great uncertainty about religious liberty and institutions who oppose gay marriage.
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“The refusal to adopt Senator Lee’s amendment, which clearly protects religious institutions from reprisals, says all I need to know about the potential risks of the bill to religious liberty.”
Related: Lindsey Graham has outburst on senate floor, is warned to follow decorum rules
Utah Senator Mike Lee said he would have supported the bill if it had an amendment protecting the tax-exempt status of organizations opposed to same-sex marriage on religious beliefs. The idea was dismissed.
I offered to support the bill if the sponsors would include my amendment to prohibit the government from removing tax-exempt status based on religious beliefs about same-sex marriage (for or against). The sponsors adamantly refused even to consider that. Why?
— Mike Lee (@BasedMikeLee) November 16, 2022
Why is congress debating the Respect for Marriage Act?
When the US Supreme Court made same-sex marriage legal across the US in 2015, most people regarded the matter as settled. However, with SCOTUS overturning Roe v. Wade earlier this year, there are fears the justices might re-examine same-sex marriage.
Because of this, the Biden administration has moved to codify same-sex and interracial marriage with the introduction of the Respect for Marriage Act.
President Biden was among those to champion the bill yesterday. He said, “Love is love and Americans should have the right to marry the person they love.”
Love is love and Americans should have the right to marry the person they love. Today’s bipartisan Senate vote gets us closer to protecting that right.
The Respect for Marriage Act protects all couples under law – I urge Congress to send the bill to my desk so I can make it law.
— President Biden (@POTUS) November 16, 2022
Online, Lindsey Graham’s tweet prompted widespread eye-rolls.
I can’t think of someone who knows less about this issue than Lindsey Graham.
Unmarried Lindsey Graham.
— Mr. Newberger (@jeremynewberger) November 17, 2022
I am embarrassed for you. You are either incapable of working with the vast majority of your colleagues to clarify legislative language or you are willfully obstructing the passage of an act that codifies the EQUAL rights of marriage for all. Either way, shame on you.
— (((Howard Forman))) (sarcasm/parody) (@thehowie) November 16, 2022
You @LindseyGrahamSC are such a piece of shit there are no words in any language to describe how pathetic you are. Only sad and lonely people vote against others’ happiness. Congratulations on showing how empty your soul is. https://t.co/nSmrLtjIC7
— Bright Light Bright Light (@brightlightx2) November 17, 2022
Chaz Bono was among those to wade into the debate.
That’s exactly what I’d expect from a self-loathing, lifelong bachelor, who’s quest to be power adjacent, took him from John McCain’s side, to that of the twice impeached, three time loser, who announced in Florida last night.
— Chaz Bono (@ChazBono) November 17, 2022
As did… um, JustForFans.
That’s it, you’re banned from our site.
— JustForFans (@JustForFansSite) November 16, 2022
Related: There aren’t enough smelling salts in the world to save Lindsey Graham right now
Below are the Republicans who voted to advance the Respect for Marriage Act.
- Roy Blunt (Missouri)
- Richard Burr (North Carolina)
- Shelley Capito (West Virginia)
- Susan Collins (Maine)
- Joni Ernst (Iowa)
- Cynthia Lummis (Wyoming)
- Lisa Murkowski (Alaska)
- Rob Portman (Ohio)
- Dan Sullivan (Alaska)
- Mitt Romney (Utah)
- Thom Thillis (North Carolina)
- Todd Young (Indiana)
The bill will now go through further Senate discussion and may face a second vote to close debate.
Jim
Lindsey, whatever tRump has on you will eventually come out.
Why don’t you
Vince
Oh honey your shithead friends aren’t going to suddenly think you’re some butch straight guy just because you pander to them.
I’m against forcibly outing people as a principle but would so love hearing about lindseybell and some rentboy confession. I say rentboy because I can’t imagine anyone going there willingly.
Mister P
It’s been legal for over 7 years now and the sky has not fallen in. They need to get with the 21st century. Religious freedom is already protected in the constitution.
Stan H
I hate that fag
richybruce
LOL.
richybruce
She doesn’t believe in marriage. She believes in indiscriminate sex with male hookers.
CNY1983
well, is is a for sure that he’s even HAD sex? I mean, who would….???
GayEGO
Oh really! Linda Graham Cracker needs to come out of the closet instead of worrying about religion, it will take care of itself!
gjg64
“I do declare!” said Miss Lindsey, “the vapors, the vapors! I need a glass of ice tea to handle all this religious discrimination!!!”
fredk3
Lady G doesn’t support gay marriage because she’s not marriage material now that the mold has started to rot her doughy loaf of a body. That, plus she seems content with her paid escorts.
Fahd
Glad Queerty found a way to report on the “gay marriage” bill, even if it was through the usual suspects approach of telling us what Graham did. I’ve given up on him; he’s beyond reform. And they tell me that more and more religious fanatics are moving to South Carolina, so I’d be expecting him to use the “religious freedom” shtick more frequently; he’s a shameless opportuntist (duh!).
Morandi
There’s no homophobe like a closeted, self-loathing gay man.
scotty
truer words never spoken or typed.
DK
No other comment necessary. Perfect summary.
scotty
listen up lindsay you little bitch…religious freedom also means freedom from religion. if you could reason with religious people, there would be no religious people. now get back behind the toolshed where you belong. effing self hating hypocritical bitch. youre a disgrace to humanity.
SDR94103
she is so nasty.
Mike Hunt
Aunt PityPat! Grrrrrl …. clutch them pearls.
I hope I’m still around when the grand reading of your beads goes down.
Joseph1971
Lady Graham, you have hired more sex workers and porn stars for sex at your home than any other toe-tapping elected official in office. If ONLY, those sex workers would come forward (call Gloria Alfred – she’ll represent you) and tell the press exactly how many times Lady Graham PAID YOU FOR SEXUAL FAVORS maybe finally voters will put him out of office.
dbmcvey
LIndsay’s lost without his alpha. First he lost McCain and now he hardly ever sees Trump. He’s just adrift.
RoyM
If only the Romans had been more efficient and the lions hungrier. The vast majority of”religious” people are hate driven bigots and those that aren’t, for the most part sit idly by.. “Religious liberty” is just a dog whistle for legal right wing persecution of people that religious people don’t like.
richybruce
richybruce
She doesn’t believe in marriage. She believes in indiscriminate sex with male hookers.
blackhook
Is there anybody stranger than self-hating, Light-In-The-Loafers Lindsey?
Richpontone
To keep the Republican Hypocrisy Wagon rolling, Senator Mitch McTurtle voted against the Marriage Act protecting Interracial Marriage even though his current Wife is Asian American.
Prowelsh56
well will the truth about who he is be told? One of the most protected closets in the business. but then again who wants to claim him>?
LumpyPillows
Lindsey really had a chance to vote for this bill. He had plenty of cover from other republicans. It isn’t like the troll has set for in a church for anything but publicity ever – so his concern for religious liberties is nonsense, even if religious liberties was something besides hate.
DK
Miss Lindsey Graham, Log Cabin Republican #1. Le yawn.
DarkZephyr
This man makes my skin crawl.
Robert Bradley
I cannot think of anything to add to the comments other than the pic above looks like he had his platinum roots touched up with a nice blowout comb over.
And yes, he’s a piece of shit.
Kangol2
We know Lady G voted against the gay-marriage protection bill, which is so heavily watered down even the Mormon Church apparently supports it, but what about South Carolina’s other “bachelor” Senator, who cannot ever seem to find a woman, Miss Tim Scott? All these closeted/DL hypocrites should be exposed, though Lady G certainly be at the top of that list!
Jlav
But he is gay, I guess some republicans do anything to get elected
Jimmynj
Lindsey Graham is complete trash. He should just come out of the closet already. I feel sorry for every man he paid to sleep with him, they weren’t paid enough.
James
Media whore graham is full of sh*t.