Republicans Try to Stop Gay Marriage in Washington, D.C.

It might be a Hail Mary pass to stop the inevitable, but 39 prominent D.C. Republicans signed on to a court brief yesterday seeking to place a hold on Washington, D.C.'s recently passed marriage equality law. The group of Republicans features some heavy hitters, from the House Minority Leader to the House Minority Whip, and their brief argues that civil rights should be put up for a vote by D.C. residents.

For a party that trash talks the use of lawsuits and trial attorneys, it's a bit of a shining moment of hypocrisy. But one that certainly fits the agenda of socially conservative forces who don't like to see the gays in relationships.

"As members of the District's ultimate legislative body, [we] are concerned about the extent of the District's delegated legislative authority, the preservation of Congress's constitutional authority, and the interpretation of home rule," the gang of 39 said. Mostly that's a bunch of legal mumbo jumbo taking the D.C. City Council and Mayor to task for voting on an issue they want voters to decide.

But as the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics has said -- twice, now -- civil rights aren't supposed to be put up for a vote. Ever.

Who is a part of this homophobic club of 39 GOP members? The list is pasted below, and you'll see a who's who of U.S. House leadership, coupled with two conservative U.S. Senators. But despite the fact that these 39 jumped on to another anti-gay bandwagon, it could actually be seen as a victory that only 39 Republicans supported this court brief. Why?

Because Congress has 217 Republicans (218 if you count Joe Lieberman). With 39 Republican signatories, this brief only covers 18 percent of the entire Republican delegation in the U.S. Congress. That hardly seems like overwhelming support, even if some of the names signing on to this brief are Republican leaders.

And what a difference a decade makes. In the 1990s, when the Defense of Marriage Act was voted on, 427 members of Congress voted for it. Today, not even 40 members of Congress stood up to oppose gay marriage right in their own backyard. That's probably good news, despite the brief filed by these 39 Republicans.

Here's the roll call of the new homophobic elite in the 111th Congress.

U.S. Reps. Robert Aderholt (Ala.), Todd Akin (Mo.), Michele Bachmann (Minn.), J. Gresham Barrett (S.C.), Roscoe Bartlett (Md.), Marsha Blackburn (Tenn.), John Boehner (Ohio), John Boozman (Ark.), Jason Chaffetz (Utah), John Fleming (La.), J. Randy Forbes (Va.), Virginia Foxx (N.C.), Scott Garrett (N.J.), Phil Gingrey (Ga.), Louie Gohmert (Tex.), Jeb Hensarling (Tex.), Wally Herger (Calif.), Walter Jones (N.C.), Jim Jordan (Ohio), Steve King (Iowa), Jack Kingston (Ga.), John Kline (Minn.) Doug Lamborn (Colo.), Robert Latta (Ohio), Don Manzullo (Ill.), Michael McCaul (Tex.), Thaddeus McCotter (Mich.), Patrick McHenry (N.C.), Cathy McMorris Rodgers (Wash.), Jeff Miller (Fla.), Jerry Moran (Kan.), Randy Neugebauer (Tex.), Mike Pence (Ind.), Joe Pitts (Pa.), Mark Souder (Ind.) and Todd Tiahrt (Kan.). Plus U.S. Sens. James Inhofe (Okla.) and Roger Wicker (Miss.)

Photo: Seansie