Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Becomes First Republican To Cosponsor DOMA Repeal Bill

Christianpost.com ^

[MrZippy2k]

WASHINGTON -- Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) has signed on as the first Republican co-sponsor of the bill to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act.

“I voted against the constitutional amendment defining marriage so I’m pleased to co-sponsor the repeal of DOMA and work with my colleagues on marriage equality,” said Ros-Lehtinen in a statement.

The DOMA-repeal bill, known as the Respect for Marriage Act, now has 125 cosponsors.

Under DOMA, which was signed into law in 1996, states are allowed to not recognize valid same-sex unions performed in other states. Same-sex couples are also denied federal benefits afforded to opposite-sex couples, such as joint filing of taxes, spousal benefits under Social Security and health and pension benefits.

Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-N.Y.), who introduced the Respect for Marriage Act, said Ros-Lehtinen's "support reminds us that the march to repeal the discriminatory DOMA is not a partisan issue. Just as New York showed the nation this summer in its bipartisan embrace of marriage equality, the drive to end DOMA is -- and must be -- a collective, nonpartisan effort that unites Americans behind a simple push for equality. Our coalition grows stronger and larger every day."

R. Clarke Cooper, executive director of the Log Cabin Republicans, also praised Ros-Lehtinen for signing on, noting that she also is a found member of the House LGBT caucus.

"[S]he has been a reliable ally and leader time and again on legislation to secure freedom and fairness for all Americans. Log Cabin Republicans are grateful that she has once again stepped forward as an inclusive leader by co-sponsoring the Respect for Marriage Act," he said in a statement.

Ros-Lehtinen also spoke at the Log Cabin Republicans' Spirit of Lincoln Awards reception in Washington, D.C., on Tuesday, where the Advocate noted she was "warmly received."

“As Republicans, we are committed to ensure that the federal government play its proper role. Defining marriage is not part of that role,” read her prepared remarks, which she didn't deliver but released afterward to the press.

Last week, the Respect for Marriage Act picked up four more Democratic cosponsors, including Rep. Brad Miller (D-N.C.), who signed on in response to GOP state lawmakers in North Carolina approving an anti-marriage equality constitutional amendment.

President Obama still does not publicly support marriage equality, although he has given his backing to the Respect for Marriage Act.

[Rome2000]

Another idiot that has been in DC too long.

Hang the Washingtonians, TERM LIMITS must happen in our lifetimes.

[fwdude]

The “first” Republican? As if there will be a stampede. Try ONLY Republican.

[DJ MacWoW]

This woman is a real piece of work.

Ros-Lehtinen played a key role in preventing the International Protecting Girls by Preventing Child Marriage Act of 2010 from being passed into law. Even though the bill had unanimously passed the Senate with bipartisan support, she persuaded enough Republicans in the House to vote against the bill so that it did not receive the required two-thirds majority

[DJ MacWoW]

BINGO!!!

Rodrigo Lehtinen - Wikipedia

Rodrigo Lehtinen (born Amanda Michelle Lehtinen on April 1, 1986, in Miami, Florida) is a Cuban-American, transgendered LGBT rights advocate and movie producer. Lehtinen is the eldest child of Ileana Ros-Lehtinen and Dexter Lehtinen and grandchild of Enrique Ros.

Lehtinen is a graduate of Brown University and while attending there was a member of Queer Alliance. While attending Brown, Lehtinen produced the documentary "Free within these Walls" about Cuban prisoners of conscience. Lehtinen is an anti-Zionist, even though grandmother, Amanda Adato, was born a Jew, and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen is a strong supporter of Israel.[1] Presently Lehtinen is the field organizer for the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force.

[Comparative Advantage]

She’s also an illegal alien lover to boot.

[samantha]

You nailed it, a good percentage of her constituents are Gays/Lesbians and they have lots of money. They are activists and can push someone to run against her if she does not do this. She might already know it won't pass.

[Comparative Advantage]

That and her daughter likes Bush.

[Polybius]

Time to kick another RINO to the curb...Who's running against her? I have my checkbook ready.

Save your money.

Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen's Congressional District is the Florida 18th Congressional District which includes SOUTH BEACH and KEY WEST.

She's the equivalent of having a Republican out of the Castro District in San Francisco. The fact that SOUTH BEACH and KEY WEST actually elected a congress-critter that is relatively conservative in other issues is a miracle in itself and only due to the fact that she pays lip service to the very large gay community in her District.

If you do not pay lip service to the gays, you simply do not get elected in that District. It's as simple as that.

If Sarah Palin herself were running for the Florida 18th Congressional District, Tammy Bruce would be her spokesperson.

[hinckley buzzard]

Hispanics traditionally have hyphenated last names to honor both sets of parents. Doesn't mean what you think. But this cave-in has to have a back story somewhere, hopefully it will come out soon.

[Loud Mime]

The IRS got our government involved in marriage. It’s none of their business.

[heye2monn]

You’re really a mean person. You probably booed at the Republican debates. :-)

[heye2monn]

See post 24, about the Congresswoman’s very confused son/daughter.

[tlb]

>>> Ok—Is she a lesbian?

Apparently not. How about you?

She married Florida State Representative Dexter Lehtinen, on June 9, 1984, while she was serving in the Florida Legislature. They have two children, Rodrigo Lehtinen (born Amanda Michelle) and Patricia Marie. She is also the step-mother to Katherine and Douglas Lehtinen.

Project Vote Smart lists Ros-Lehtinen as Episcopalian.[2] Ros-Lehtinen’s maternal grandparents were Sephardic Jews from Turkey who had been active in Cuba’s Jewish community.[38] Her mother later converted to Catholicism

>>> Time to kick another RINO to the curb.

Passing every litmus test but one, and then she’s a RINO anyway. Hardly seems worth the bother for a politician to try to keep such as you happy. But then again if she’s been in office in Fla since 1989, I doubt your disapproval will hurt her much.

The U.S. Representative for Florida’s 18th congressional district, serving since 1989. She is a member of the Republican Party.

She is currently the most senior Republican woman in the U.S. House, and was the first Republican woman elected to the House of Representatives from Florida. She is chairwoman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, effective 2011.

Ros-Lehtinen is considered conservative on foreign, economic, and other social policy. Ros-Lehtinen is a supporter of President George W. Bush’s surge policy in Iraq, a supporter of Israel and supports continued sanctions against Cuba. She also supported the de facto government in Honduras, headed by Roberto Micheletti, that emerged after the military coup against President Manuel Zelaya. She has said of the decision to invade Iraq: “Whether or not there is a direct link to the World Trade Center does not mean that Iraq is not meritorious of shedding blood. The common link is that they hate America.” [6]

Among Ros-Lehtinen’s other conservative views include votes against the estate tax, voted in favor of Bush’s tax cuts, for fuel efficiency standards on autos, drilling for oil in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, support of the Central American Free Trade Agreement, votes in favor of making the Patriot Act permanent, support of the Military Commissions Act, votes against funding for stem cell research, and votes against SCHIP. She is a signer of the Taxpayer Protection Pledge.

The congresswoman has also been a forerunner in cutting U.S. aid to foreign lands, including the State Department, The Peace Corps, the Asia Foundation, the U.S. Institute of Peace and the East-West Center. She also advocates cutting funding to Lebanese Armed Forces and the West Bank and Gaza.

[TribalPrincess2U]

Apparently not. How about you?

Since I consider that uncalled for I shall treat you the same distain. Apparently not azzhole.

FYI: Married to same man 55 years, 2 daughters, 8 grandkids 3 gr-grandkids.

Have had a great lesbian neighbor/friend for last 14 years, azzhole.

[DJ MacWoW]

But Ros-Lehtinen does have a very confused daughter. Who thinks she's a man.

Passing every litmus test but one, and then she’s a RINO anyway.

She is a Rino. She backs giving deviants special rights and she is against protecting children from forced child marriage.

[tomkat]

Never trust someone with two last names

Hear-Hear !

[tlb]

Interesting coincidence. “Azzhole” was precisely what I was thinking when I saw your original “uncalled for” comment.

[TribalPrincess2U]

Well your thinking was wrong.

That was a legit question because of the story content and not anything else.

Maybe I should ask you the same thing. Are you a lesbo?
Now that makes me a real azzhole.

[cradle of freedom]

It is not only the mothers of homos but they influence their entire extended families. Think how many people that can be; brothers and sisters, moms and dads, grandmothers and grandfathers, aunts and uncles, first and second cousins and nieces and nephews. Then the homo’s extended family is connected by marriage to other families who also have their extended families. So think what a sphere of influence they have and think how they must divide families when they decide to “come out of the closet”. If the gay wants to come over for Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas, barbeque then those that don’t agree with that lifestyle will be forced out of the family event. And what happens when they want to bring along their “significant other”? People who are offended just have to keep their mouths shut to keep the family peace and what about explaining all this to kids.

[Migraine]

You definitely speak as one who has seen this in real life. I certainly have; and everything you say is true.