Michael Cahillane, the Democrat running for a Massachusetts’ district attorney post, with his wife Christine joined some 143,000 others in signing a petition to outlaw same-sex marriage in the state. Now he’s all: Whoops!
Cahillane now says he regrets signing the document in 2005 sponsored by VoteOnMarriage.org, which he originally signed because, hey, shouldn’t we all get a chance to vote on other people’s rights? The only reason we know he supported the right to eliminate the legislature-approved 2004 law is because his name, and the other 143,000, where published on KnowThyNeighbor.org after being tipped off by a local councilman, whom obtained the data because information wants to be free the names “were revealed on the petition following a Supreme Court ruling in Doe v. Reed. The June 24 majority decision read that the names of signatories of petitions and referendums are public knowledge. Local advocacy groups KnowThyNeighbor.org and the Massachusetts Gay & Lesbian Political Caucus (MGLPC) both offered their support during the case, and KnowThyNeighbor.org published a list of the VoteOnMarriage.org signatories following the ruling.”
(VoteOnMarriage.org ended up with 140,000 valid signatures, “but the effort was overturned at the June 14 Constitutional Convention, and marriage equality was preserved in the state of Massachusetts.”)
Kind of helps explain the reason we need to know the names behind Referendum 71, eh?
How about we take this to the next level?
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While Cahillane says he now supports same-sex marriage, he doesn’t know if he backs the proposed Transgender Civil Rights Bill. He has yet to read it.
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pete
I don’t live in MA, but anyone who does sure as hell better not vote for him.
Jayson
I live in Mass but don’t live inn that part of the state, I just googled to see who his opponent was so I can send him a check. David Sullivan with an address in Eashampton MA. That is my way of casting a vote against this bigot.
james_from_the_great_city_of_cambridge
I live in Cambridge so I can’t vote against him but this story actually makes me feel good about my State. This guy is what passes for a right-wing loon in my State. A man who’s a leftie Dem who supports marriage rights for us is considered a loon in Massachusetts. Meanwhile, the Virginia AG is trying to do draconian things to Gays like banning Universities in Virginia from giving any protections to Gays or saying we’re not protected under the 14th Amendment..
(http://www.towleroad.com/2010/06/virginia-ag-ken-cuccinelli-gay-people-not-protected-by-the-14th-amendment-because-founders-didnt-hav.html) …and he’s trying to break down the barriers between Church & State more than any other public official I can think of. There are elected officials like this tool all through the South and some in the Mid-west. Our right-wing tools up here just can’t hold a candle to the rest, so sorry, while I’d never, ever, vote for Cahillane, let’s not pretend like he’s in any way a problem compared to what we’re facing elsewhere. He’s simply not. We’re not a State that puts up with racial, sexual or gender discrimination so please worry about the real lunatics in Texas, Arizona & Florida and hope that they all become like MA. soon.
Katherine Hayford
On that historic day in May of 2004, my partner of 5 years and I stood 7th in line to receive our marriage license at the clerks office in Northampton. In July of 2004, I legally married my partner in a wonderful ceremony at the First Churches in Northampton, with a reception for approx 140 people at the Hotel Northampton. Among the guests for this memorable day was my wife’s cousin, Michael Cahillane and his wife Christine. They were there not out of a sense of family duty; they were there in support of our relationship and in support of our right to be married. Michael was as happy for us as he has been for any other of his friends and family at their weddings, maybe more. He and Chrissy had a wonderfully fun time and still comment to us how great and moving that day was.
I am writing this letter because there has been much written lately about Michael Cahillane that would suggest that he does not support same sex marriage. I would like to go on record to say that I know this to be false. No matter what petition was signed or what the opposition says, Michael Cahillane does not oppose same sex marriage. I say this not only because Mike was at our wedding but because I know Michael Cahillane; the man. I have seen the pain in his eyes as he has talked quite openly about this issue with me. He tells the truth when he says it is a “deeply personal” subject for him. It truly is.
The people of Hampshire & Franklin Counties, straight or gay, would be lucky to have Michael Cahillane as their next District Attorney. I have truly never met a man with more integrity, dedication, and devotion to the people that he serves.
KATHERINE HAYFORD
William
@Katherine,
I live in Boston, and I don’t know Cahillane. In fact, I had not heard of him until this brouhaha.
But my husband and I have experienced ‘friends’ – some we considered good friends – coming to our reception, celebrating with us and our families, and then acting in ways that oppose our right to marry. (e.g., signing petitions.)
Your testimonial sounds convincing, but there are some lingering questions.
Why would he sign the petition to put our marriages to a vote? (There was not any doubt what signing that petition meant – I volunteered for Mass Equality as we fought it.)
And what does it mean for Cahillane that this is a “deeply personal” subject for him?
Is it a political convenience that he supported an anti-marriage drive at one time, but now opposes it?
An honest question – has he answered why he wanted our marriage rights put to a vote?
Finally, I’ll echo James…from…Cambridge – I’ve lived in several states in the US (including Texas), and there is a different standard here in Massachusetts.
I wouldn’t have bothered to write had it not been for Katherine’s ringing endorsement. It sounds good, but it doesn’t really explain anything.
Billy
Politicians are lying scum, they all are. Politicians = Whores. We need local community government that is held accountable and can be censured for any ethic issues.
Flipper
@Katherine Hayford: I hope you’re correct, but I cannot help but feel that your experience is similar to what many of us have encountered….someone giving the appearance of being supportive (especially a politician, who’s always “on display”), while in reality they do things like sign petitions to remove our rights (under the cover of anonymity). Unless he is a gay man, this subject is not “deeply personal” for him, as it has no impact on his life at all.
Another red flag is observed in the article, where it mentions that the candidate is unsure of his support for a Transgender Civil Rights Bill. Anyone who’s unsure of supporting civil rights deserves extreme scrutiny.
sweetbrandigirl2004
Another lying two face say whatever he has to to get elected Democrat…He’s just the kind we need ot keep OUT of office.. Because once he’s in I think they start calling them blue dogs and we know all about those kind…..We need to weed them out and purify the democratic party your ether liberal or your republican it;s that simple. You can’t be somewhere in the middle riding the fence.
Cam
@Katherine Hayford: said…
“I am writing this letter because there has been much written lately about Michael Cahillane that would suggest that he does not support same sex marriage. I would like to go on record to say that I know this to be false. ”
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Sorry Katherine, I’m sure that plenty of people also claim to not be racist, but in the year 2000 around 40% of the state of Alabama voted to keep a state law banning interacial law. The law was invalid because of Federal law, but people still wanted it on the books. I have a feeling that a lot of people voting for that had friends of other races and had even gone to their wedding.
Michael isn’t going to wear a Klan hood in public, it’s what these people do in private and behind closed doors once they are elected that is dangerous. So at your wedding he was smiling, and yet a year AFTER your wedding he was signing a petition to make what you had done illegal. If I were you, I would spend less time defending him and more time figuring out why you are defending somebody who tried to attack your family.