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Posted on 08/28/2002 12:41:57 PM PDT by RCW2001
ERICA WERNER, Associated Press Writer
Wednesday, August 28, 2002
©2002 Associated Press
URL: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2002/08/28/state1523EDT0122.DTL
(08-28) 12:23 PDT LOS ANGELES (AP) --
Bill Simon, who signed a pledge during the gubernatorial primary stating that "domestic partnership" benefits belonged exclusively to marriage, told a gay Republican group he supports domestic partnership laws if they're not based on sexual orientation.
The GOP candidate's responses to a Log Cabin Republicans questionnaire prompted a prominent conservative backer to angrily withdraw his support Wednesday.
Rev. Louis P. Sheldon, chairman of the Traditional Values Coalition, said he felt "misled and conned" by Simon and his campaign.
"I spent months with Bill Simon touring Anglo and Hispanic churches where he vowed support for traditional values," Sheldon said in a statement. "His responses on this questionnaire tells me otherwise."
Simon, who labeled himself a "conservative Republican" in the primary, has attempted since then to court the moderates and independents who could help him unseat Democratic Gov. Gray Davis in November. But campaign aides denied that his answers on the Log Cabin Republicans questionnaire this month represented a change in position.
During the primary, Simon signed a pledge distributed by the Campaign for California Families stating, "I recognize that the various 'domestic partnership' and 'civil union' benefits either belong exclusively to marriage or can be obtained by responsible people through inexpensive legal contracts and other private arrangements."
In his response to a question on the Log Cabin Republicans survey asking whether he supported existing law on domestic partnerships, Simon wrote, "I believe that any two people who fit the qualifications of the law should be able to have their relationship recognized by the state. However, I do not believe that sexual orientation should be a factor in the recognition by the state of such relationships.
"I would not support undoing any of those rights that currently are available under the law, but I believe those rights should be extended to others as well."
Simon strategist Sal Russo said that when Simon signed the pledge during the primary it was "in the context of AB25" -- the law Davis signed last year granting rights to same-sex couples and unmarried, opposite-sex couples over 62.
Simon opposed AB25 because it was based on sexual orientation, but he has always supported domestic partnership laws that would apply to any two people who choose to live together, like elderly brothers or a father and daughter, Russo said.
"He hasn't changed his position at all," Russo said.
Sheldon was not convinced.
"Bill Simon apparently tailors his message to his audience," he said. "... He and his advisers should be ashamed of their ploy to trick religious conservatives into voting for their campaign's empty rhetoric and shabby tactics."
David Hanson, president of the California branch of Log Cabin Republicans, said he was pleased with Simon's responses on the survey even though the candidate sounded a somewhat different note during the primary.
"I feel what happened was he realized that he had to cater to the conservative vote, the right-wing vote that does mostly vote in the primary and that's what he did, and that's why he won the primary," Hanson said. "The staff he had at that point tried to protect or prevent him from actually saying his own views, what he actually feels. I hope what he says now is what he actually feels."
Hanson's group is seeking a face-to-face meeting with Simon to determine whether to endorse him.
©2002 Associated Press
Simon's self destruction begins.
You are not going to get any extra votes from anyone who supports Domestic Partnerships. The media isn't going to attack you any less. You'll only depress turnout for you from mainstream conservatives.
Sand Bag Alert ! ! !
The Homo's are at it again. Trying and doing a good job dividing and conquering the Republican Party. The Log Cabin Republicans are just a mole group that the left uses to get our candidates off message.
Wake up, if the Log Cabin Republicans are happy then we are going to lose. We need to kick the the sick b@$tards out of the party now.
Click on this link to see the new GayDavis.com if you want to see how screwed up California has become in 4 years.
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