In a release, the Christian Family Coalition writes that “Florida Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R) has embarrassed and ridiculed herself by becoming the first Republican to co-sponsor on a deceptive bill to overturn the bipartisan Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). This new fraudulent legislation seeks to overturn the will of the people in Florida and all across America, by imposing so-called ‘homosexual marriage’ on all fifty (50) states.”

The release adds that Ros-Lehtinen lied and misled her “own constituents, donors and volunteers by kowtowing to an extremist agenda.”

Ros-Lehtinen, the first and only GOP congressperson to co-sponsor the Respect for Marriage Act, which would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, has earned the support of Log Cabin Republicans and Freedom to Marry.

Equality Florida, which works to secure “full equality for Florida’s lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community” writes that “Ros-Lehtinen is a longtime Equality Florida supporter and a 2010 Voice for Equality Award honoree for her work to end Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and as a founder of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus. She’s stood her ground against these extremists in the past but this time they are coming after her like never before.”

Last week, the National Organization for Marriage called on supporters to fund a new campaign that targets Ros-Lehtinen for her decision to co-sponsor the Respect for Marriage Act.

A letter crafted by Organization for Marriage for supporters to send to Ros-Lehtinen states, “I am writing to express my disappointment and deep concern that you would abandon traditional Republican principles of marriage, family, and democratic self-government. Marriage is a bedrock of our society, and I urge you to re-consider your position on DOMA.”

]]> http://washingtonindependent.com/113044/christian-family-coalition-attacks-ros-lehtinen-for-marriage-equality-support/feed 0 http://washingtonindependent.com/112986/obamas-move-on-trade-agreements-praised-by-florida-republicans http://washingtonindependent.com/112986/obamas-move-on-trade-agreements-praised-by-florida-republicans#comments Tue, 04 Oct 2011 18:51:37 +0000 admin http://washingtonindependent.com/112986/obamas-move-on-trade-agreements-praised-by-florida-republicans

President Obama sent new free trade agreements with Colombia, Korea and Panama to Congress on Monday, a move many Florida Republicans are praising despite reports of potential American job losses and persistent anti-labor violence in Colombia.

The Miami Herald reports today that “both Miami Republican Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen on More...

In its latest appeal for donations, the National Organization for Marriage is calling on supporters to fund a new campaign that targets U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, R-Miami, for her recent decision to co-sponsor the Respect for Marriage Act, which would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.

The appeal espouses the notion that LGBT rights groups are “desperate to divide the Republican Party,” given Ros-Lehtinen is the lone Republican joining 124 Democrats co-sponsoring the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act.

In a newsletter emailed to donors Tuesday evening, National Organization for Marriage President Brian Brown asked supporters to tell the congresswoman they are “outraged that she would abandon marriage and the millions of voters who have adopted state amendments to protect marriage.”

To make it easy, the organization has crafted a letter for supporters to send:

Dear Rep. Ros-Lehtinen,

I am writing to express my disappointment and deep concern that you would abandon traditional Republican principles of marriage, family, and democratic self-government. Marriage is a bedrock of our society, and I urge you to re-consider your position on DOMA.

By co-sponsoring Rep. Nadler’s bill to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, you are placing in jeopardy the laws of marriage in more the 40 states, threatening to impose same-sex marriage on voters across the nation who have resoundingly rejected same-sex marriage at every turn.

I urge you to drop your support for the repeal of DOMA, and to respect the voice of the American people, including the people of Florida, who have already voted to keep marriage as it has always been — the union of a husband and wife.

”I firmly believe that equality is enshrined in our constitution and in our great democracy,” Ros-Lehtinen said in a statement issued by the Log Cabin Republicans last week, explaining why she co-sponsored Respect for Marriage.

The Florida representative has consistently co-sponsored LGBT-friendly legislation, and recently joined the brand-new Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus.

“Gay marriage activists know they don’t need to persuade the Republican grassroots to support same-sex marriage – they just need to split off enough GOP elite opinion to provide cover as they force SSM on the entire nation,” Brown writes in Tuesday’s newsletter. “Several prominent GOP elites have already signed on, and gay marriage activists are spending millions of dollars to pressure and persuade more Republican lawmakers that they can support same-sex marriage without consequence.

“And maybe it’s time Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen started looking for a new job,” he added.

While accusing groups such as the Human Rights Campaign, the Log Cabin Republicans and Freedom to Marry of using money and influence to sway lawmakers on the same-sex marriage issue and to “gut the [Republican Party] platform of its traditional support for life and marriage,” Brown reminds supporters that his group has committed to spend $2 million “to defeat the turncoat senators” who broke party ranks to vote for the marriage equality in New York in June.

The National Organization for Marriage has taken credit for Republican David Weprin’s win in former Rep. Anthony Weiner’s New York district — because the group donated money to the race.

The appeal espouses the notion that LGBT-rights groups are “desperate to divide the Republican Party,” given Ros-Lehtinen is the lone Republican joining 124 Democrats co-sponsoring the repeal of DOMA.

In a newsletter emailed to donors Tuesday evening, NOM President Brian Brown asked supporters to tell the congresswoman they are “outraged that she would abandon marriage and the millions of voters who have adopted state amendments to protect marriage.”

To make it easy, NOM has crafted a letter for supporters to send:

Dear Rep. Ros-Lehtinen,

I am writing to express my disappointment and deep concern that you would abandon traditional Republican principles of marriage, family, and democratic self-government. Marriage is a bedrock of our society, and I urge you to re-consider your position on DOMA.

By co-sponsoring Rep. Nadler’s bill to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, you are placing in jeopardy the laws of marriage in more the 40 states, threatening to impose same-sex marriage on voters across the nation who have resoundingly rejected same-sex marriage at every turn.

I urge you to drop your support for the repeal of DOMA, and to respect the voice of the American people, including the people of Florida, who have already voted to keep marriage as it has always been — the union of a husband and wife.

In a statement issued by the Log Cabin Republicans last week, Ros-Lehtinen explained that she co-sponsored the repeal of DOMA because, ”I firmly believe that equality is enshrined in our constitution and in our great democracy.”

The Florida representative has consistently co-sponsored LGBT-friendly legislation and recently joined the brand-new Congressional HIV/AIDS Caucus.

“Gay marriage activists know they don’t need to persuade the Republican grassroots to support same-sex marriage – they just need to split off enough GOP elite opinion to provide cover as they force SSM on the entire nation,” Brown writes in Tuesday’s newsletter. “Several prominent GOP elites have already signed on, and gay marriage activists are spending millions of dollars to pressure and persuade more Republican lawmakers that they can support same-sex marriage without consequence.

“And maybe it’s time Congresswoman Ros-Lehtinen started looking for a new job,” he added.

While accusing groups such as the Human Rights Campaign, the Log Cabin Republicans and Freedom to Marry of using money and influence to sway lawmakers on the same-sex marriage issue and to “gut the [Republican Party] platform of its traditional support for life and marriage,” Brown reminds supporters that NOM has committed to spending $2 million “to defeat the turncoat senators” who broke party ranks to vote for the marriage equality in New York in June.

NOM has taken credit for former Rep. Anthony Weiner’s congressional seat in New York’s 9th District recently going to Republican Bob Turner rather than Democrat David Weprin — because NOM donated money to the race.

President Obama reaffirmed his commitment to the legislation, which would give undocumented minors who have grown up in the U.S. a path to citizenship, on Tuesday in El Paso. #

According to the statement released today by the NLIRH, the act is an important step for Latina rights. #

“Equality for immigrant women can only be attained when immigrant women can live free from discrimination, oppression and violence in all their forms. We believe it is imperative that organizations advocating for comprehensive immigration reform also support fair and just immigration policies that protect the rights of immigrant women. #

Educational attainment is one way that Latinas can have access to information, resources and services that will help them make informed and autonomous decisions. NLIRH extends its support to the DREAM Act and the young immigrant activists and legislators who have worked to bring this bill to the forefront.” #

According to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy (NCPTUP), Latinas have the highest rates of teen pregnancy and the lowest rates of contraception use. A recent NCPTUP survey reported that 52% of Latina teens get pregnant at least once before the age of 20 – twice the U.S. average. Latinas also have “the highest teen pregnancy rate and teen birth rate of any major ethnic/racial minority in the country, according to the most recent data available.” #

According to the NCPTUP, the birth rate among Latina teens decreased from 2007 to 2008, but only about half as much as non-Hispanic white and non-Hispanic black teens. #

In 2004, the Population Resource Center reported that Latinas are getting less help from the state than other young and impoverished mothers, because of their immigrant status. “More than 80 percent of teens who become mothers receive welfare during the 10 years following the birth of their first child, 44 percent of them for more than 5 years,” says the report. “Latino groups are less likely to receive welfare, in part, because a large proportion of Latinas are immigrants who are ineligible for welfare.” #

The Population Resource Center also said that, according to a 1995 study, “almost half of Latina teens aged 15-19 did not use any form of contraception the first time they had sex, compared to 29 percent of all teens.” Contraceptive use for the first instance of sexual intercourse for teens “increased from 65 to 71 percent during the early 1990s, [however,] the percentage actually decreased from 55 to 53 percent for Latino teens.” #

Here is the full report from the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy: #

Teen Pregnancy and Childbearing Among Latino Teens #

Incoming Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) said in a press release, “I am deeply disappointed that the President decided to make such a major concession to the Syrian regime. Using this Congressional recess to make an appointment that has far-reaching policy implications despite Congressional objections and concerns is regrettable.”

Rep. Peter King (R-N.Y.) called the appointment of James Cole — whose nomination was previously held by Republicans due to a 2002 report he wrote voicing support for civilian trials for terror suspects — as deputy attorney general “absolutely shocking.”

There’s nothing unusual about recess appointments — they are allowed under Article Two of the Constitution. President Obama has made 28 recess appointments, while President George W. Bush had made 23 at a comparable time in his presidency. Their terms will expire — if the Senate does not confirm them — after the end of the next session of the Senate, which would be December 2011.

They made a “lesser of two evils” argument for supporting Scott over his opponent, Democrat Alex Sink, The Miami Herald reported today:

On Monday, the congressional Republicans said they also disagree on immigration with Sink, who opposes an Arizona-style law but would require business owners and state agencies to validate employees’ legal status.

“Since we disagree with both candidates on immigration, on what do we have to focus on?” Lincoln Diaz-Balart asked in Spanish after answering the question in English. “I think it’s, ‘Who’s prepared to create jobs from day one?’”

Quipped Ros-Lehtinen: “I can’t even get my own family to agree with me on most of my issues.”

Of course, all three had supported a tough-on-immigration candidate before: They backed Scott’s opponent, Attorney General Bill McCollum, in the primary. Facing ads attacking him for his weak immigration stances, McCollum unveiled a proposal in August for an Arizona-style law. Ros-Lehtinen and the Diaz-Balart brothers quickly responded with concern. “I’m disappointed and was blindsided by Bill’s decision to promote this, and I encourage the candidates to focus on plans that will improve Florida’s economy,” Ros-Lehtinen said at the time.

All three are supporters of immigration reform, particularly the DREAM Act, which would help some college students and military service members earn legal status. Lincoln Diaz-Balart, who announced in February he will not seek re-election this year, introduced the bill in 2009, while Mario Diaz-Balart and Ros-Lehtinen co-sponsored the legislation. As governor, Scott would not have any say in the DREAM Act specifically — it is a federal effort — but he argues against all forms of “amnesty” for illegal immigrants in the country.

Others, though, haven’t been so shy. And those voices all seem to be knee-jerking in defense of Israel.

House Republican Whip Eric Cantor (Va.) put the blame squarely on “the so-called ‘humanitarian aid’ flotilla” for steering into “an internationally recognized [blockade] … in an effort to provoke Israel.” Rep. Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.) told Greg Sargent that the flotilla was designed “to instigate a conflict with the Israeli navy ,” which, he added, “isn’t hard to do.” And Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Fla.), senior Republican on the Foreign Affairs panel, said that Israel was simply acting in self defense.

“Israeli soldiers had every right to defend their lives against a lynch mob attacking them with knives and clubs,” she said in a statement.

But of course, this implies that the anti-blockade activists didn’t have the right to defend themselves from armed soldiers dropping out of the sky onto the decks of foreign-flagged ships in the middle of international waters. The Atlantic’s Megan McArdle today pushed that point further:

This morning a bunch of people are trying to defend Israel by saying that the protesters attacked first.  No, they didn’t.  Boarding someone’s ship in international waters is an attack.  To put it another way, how many of the people mounting this defense would criticize Israeli sailors if they attacked a bunch of armed Palestinians who were airdropping, one by one, onto their ship, after firing tear gas grenades in to soften them up?

Along those lines, why would Iran, Syria or anyone else feel an obligation to obey international law if Israel here is immune from it?

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.), the ranking Republican on the panel, also said she wanted to drill down on the “civilian surge.” (Deputy Secretary of State Jack Lew said yesterday to expect a “20 to 30 percent” increase next year above the 974 civilians who will be serving in Afghanistan by January.) She said “claims of failure” over the “past eight years” was an “affront” to the military and not, say, the Bush administration, which she doesn’t specifically reference. Ros-Lehtinen ran the gamut of conservative concerns about the strategy: the July 2011 date for security transitions; whether McChrystal has enough troops; whether the mission is sufficiently broad. And she added a new one: whether McChrystal’s rules of engagement — designed to prevent Afghan civilian casualties — are sufficient to “permanently repel and eliminate the Taliban as a threat.”

Even so, Berman has changed some parts of the text. Here’s the new language. First, some more ‘whereas’ clauses:

Whereas Justice Richard Goldstone, who chaired the `United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict,’ told the then-President of the UNHRC, Nigerian Ambassador Martin Ihoeghian Uhomoibhi, that he intended to broaden the mandate of the Mission to include “all violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law that might have been committed at any time in the context of the military operations that were conducted in Gaza during the period from 27 December 2008 and 18 January 2009, whether before, during or after,” a phrase that, according to Justice Goldstone, was intended to allow him to investigate Hamas attacks on Israeli civilians;

Whereas Ambassador Uhomoibhi issued a statement on April 3, 2009, that endorsed part of Justice Goldstone’s proposed broadened mandate but deleted the phrase “before, during, and after,” and added inflammatory anti-Israeli language;

Whereas a so-called broadened mandate was never officially endorsed by a plenary meeting of the UNHRC, neither in the form proposed by Justice Goldstone nor in the form proposed by Ambassador Uhomoibhi;

That, at least, is a concession to Goldstone. Then there’s this, which is part of the actual “resolved” section stipulating what the House is actually saying by adopting it. I’ll put the new language in bold:

(3) calls on the President and the Secretary of State to continue to strongly and unequivocally oppose any endorsement of the `Report of the United Nations Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict’ in multilateral fora, including through leading opposition to any United Nations General Assembly resolution and through vetoing, if necessary, any United Nations Security Council resolution that endorses the contents of this report, seeks to act upon the recommendations contained in this report, or calls on any other international body to take further action regarding this report.