Pennsylvania: Sen. Bob Casey supports full marriage equality

Last week,  Pennsylvania state Rep. Brian Sims wrote an open letter to PA US Sen. Bob Casey asking him to "come out" openly in support for marriage equality.  Sims was just one of many LGBT rights individuals and organizations (like Equality Pennsylvania, Keystone Progress and MoveOn.org) that was looking to Casey for same-sex marriage support.

Today comes the news that Sen. Casey has finally made a statement in support of the repeal of DOMA and full marriage equality:

“After much deliberation and after reviewing the legal, public policy and civil-rights questions presented, I support marriage equality for same-sex couples and believe that DOMA should be repealed,” Casey said in a statement exclusively first released to PGN Monday afternoon.

Casey referenced one lesbian woman from Southeastern Pennsylvania who contacted him, detailing the financial and societal setbacks she, her partner and their children have faced from being denied the right to marry.

“As a senator and as a citizen, I can no longer in good conscience take a position that denies her and her family the full measure of equality and respect,” Casey said.

This leaves only eight Senate Democrats who have not yet endorsed marriage equality: Mark Pryor of Arkansas, Bill Nelson of Florida, Tom Carper of Delaware, Tim Johnson of South Dakota, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, Mary Landrieu of Louisiana, Heidi Heitkamp of North Dakota, and Joe Donnelly of Indiana.

Sen. Carper of Delaware is the only true "blue state" Democratic senator to not announce full support.

(via Philadelphia Gay News)

PA: Excellent letter from state Rep. Brian Sims to Sen. Bob Casey

Openly gay state Rep. Brian Sims of Pennsylvania has written an open letter to US Senator Bob Casey regarding the Senator's silence on the topic of marriage equality, especially in light of so many politicians making public announcements of support:

Senator Casey, seven years ago I joined hundreds of thousands of LGBT Pennsylvanians in support of your candidacy in an effort to remove Senator Rick Santorum, one of the most anti-LGBT legislators in modern history, from public office. We worked tirelessly and we celebrated your victory, even as many of us struggled to reconcile our support for you with our fundamental beliefs in women’s reproductive rights, beliefs which you do not share.

We have believed since you were sworn in that when the time was right, when it really mattered, you would be there for equality. The time is right and we need you to be here.

But your voice is silent. And I am angry.

Senator, I know you. I know how we have interacted and I know that you have respect for me as a gay man. More importantly, I know that LGBT people surround you in virtually every area of your life, personal and professional. You have never had a shortage of interaction with the LGBT community and that is what makes it so confusing that you have not made up your mind on equality. Or have you?

You really need to read the entire letter. It's honest, bold and direct.