Posted on 07/22/2006 7:44:20 PM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
MADISON, WI (AP) -- A Madison philanthropist has given $275,000 of her personal fortune to try to defeat a state ban on gay marriage and civil unions, according to a filing made public on Friday.
Dale Leibowitz was the largest donor to Fair Wisconsin, the political action committee leading the charge against the constitutional amendment that appears on the ballot on Nov. 7, according to the group's campaign finance report.
Other major donations to the group included $80,000 from the Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest gay rights group, and $25,000 from the state teachers' union, the filing with the state Elections Board shows. Esmond Harmsworth, a Boston literary agent, also pitched in $25,000.
Overall, Fair Wisconsin raised $1.3 million between March 1 and June 30. After expenses, the group has $1.08 million cash on hand.
Leibowitz, whose Purple Moon Foundation donates hundreds of thousands of dollars every year to various causes, chipped in $150,000 in March, $75,000 in May and $50,000 in June, the filing shows.
Fair Wisconsin spokesman Josh Freker emphasized that Leibowitz was one of more than 5,000 donors to the cause, 90 percent of whom were from the state.
"We're happy that we are able to get some larger support like that," he said. "We are happy to have more resources to be able to communicate to voters at community events, on their doorsteps and on the airwaves."
The group, which began running its first television ad earlier this month, is trying to make Wisconsin the first state to defeat a referendum banning gay marriage. Nineteen states have approved similar amendments and five others will vote on them this year.
The amendment would declare that marriage is between one man and one woman and that unmarried individuals cannot be granted a legal status similar to marriage such as civil unions pioneered by Vermont.
The group's TV ad, running in media markets in western, central and northeastern Wisconsin, emphasizes its argument that the amendment threatens benefits and legal rights of unmarried gay and straight couples living in domestic partnerships.
Supporters of the amendment say those fears are unfounded and that the amendment would simply protect traditional marriage. Their political action committee, Vote Yes For Marriage, reported raising $2,500 and ending with $1,900 cash on hand but those numbers do not tell the whole story.
Amendment supporters are spreading their message through related organizations, the Family Research Institute and the Coalition for Traditional Marriage, which do not have to report their contributions and expenditures, said Julaine Appling, who heads both state-based groups.
That's because those efforts, including 4,000 DVDs sent to churches last year and brochures being handed out at county fairs, are educational in nature and stop short of urging voters to vote yes, she said.
"We'll have the money we need to do what we want to do," Appling said. "But Wisconsin voters aren't going to be bought because of how much money a campaign raises. They understand that marriage is about a man and a woman and children need mothers and fathers."
Dianne you sure did manage to nail that one, and apparently end the thread. BRAVO!
Outstanding. Glad to see I'm not the only "Animal House" fan here.
Animal House LOL!
I always get a chuckle out of those types of comments. You can find one on just about every thread.
"Who cares? Why should I care? Why should anyone care? Why did you even post this? Why do you have mind-control power over me to make me post on threads I care nothing about? I'm taking my ball and bat and going home! Whaaa!" LOL! :)
####Why does anyone care about this donation?####
The gay agenda in general and gay "marriage" in particular are very important issues to the left. Homosexuality has proven to be a particularly potent tool for expanding government control over people's lives, censoring dissent, and other liberal goals. This big contribution shows how important it is to them. Fortunately, it'll be money down the drain as Wisconsin voters will easily approve the amendment to keep marriage heterosexual.
You must mean the Leibowitz that died in a kiln explosion.
Are you sure you live in California? I can't even buy a half a house where I live and this is an area that has lower home prices that most of the state.
Like voters in every other state. It won't be as overwhelming as some states, but I think 60-65% will vote for the amendment.
They could put it on 50 state ballots - and it wouldn't pass in a single one.
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