Illinois LGBT Leaders and Allies Call Out Bruce Rauner on His Opposition to Marriage Equality
“LGBT couples and their families will not be welcome in Bruce Rauner’s Illinois,”
Civic, Business, Non-Profit Leaders and Elected Officials Say
CHICAGO, IL (June 1, 2014) – As Illinois celebrates the official commencement of marriage equality today, dozens of LGBT leaders and allies called out Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Rauner for his public opposition to marriage equality. The LGBT leaders signed on to an open letter, proclaiming “we know the real Bruce Rauner. His administration would very likely be working behind-the-scenes to block new legislation and erode the existing laws protecting our families.”
At a Tea Party gathering in Quincy in November 2013, Bruce Rauner let his view on marriage quality know and said “they haven’t approved it in a referendum, so if I were governor I would veto.”
“Rauner, the Republican candidate for governor, claims to be a social moderate. In public and in the media, he claims not to “have a social agenda” and that “it doesn’t matter” how he feels about marriage equality. Rauner can’t have it both ways. A real leader takes a stand,” the letter states. “If he had been Governor, the many couples across Illinois who today are celebrating new families would still be relegated to a second-class legal status.”
Notable supporters signing the letter include: Equality Illinois CEO Bernard Cherkasov, Equality Illinois Founder Art Johnston, State Representative Kelly Cassidy, State Representative Ann Williams, Howard Brown Health Center President David Munar and Lambda Legal Midwest Regional Director Jim Bennett.
“The record is clear: LGBT couples and their families will not be welcome in Bruce Rauner’s Illinois. All of us, friends and family alike, must remember who really stands with the LGBT community this November,” the letter concludes.
A copy of the open letter follows:
June 1, 2014
Throughout the campaign for marriage equality, we heard the stories of LGBT couples across Illinois – couples from all walks of life, couples with children, couples who had been together for decades. Those couples wanted to be able to care for and protect their families through marriage.
A robust debate occurred last year over whether all Illinois couples and families should be treated equally and with dignity under the law. Today, as we celebrate the official commencement of the Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act, we honor those officials who stood for freedom and equality.
We also remember those public figures, like Bruce Rauner, who chose the side of bigotry and intolerance.
Rauner, the Republican candidate for governor, claims to be a social moderate. In public and in the media, he claims not to “have a social agenda” and that “it doesn’t matter” how he feels about marriage equality.
Rauner can’t have it both ways. A real leader takes a stand. But we now know how he really feels. Last year at a Tea Party gathering in Quincy, he had this to say about marriage equality: “They haven’t approved it in a referendum, so if I were governor I would veto.”
Rauner opposes the freedom to marry. If he had been Governor, the many couples across Illinois who today are celebrating new families would still be relegated to a second-class legal status. Bruce Rauner, as he said in Quincy, has no problem with that.
We know the real Bruce Rauner. His administration would very likely be working behind-the-scenes to block new legislation and erode the existing laws protecting our families.
Just look at the GOP “top of the ticket” and the elected officials Rauner surrounds himself with, like running mate Evelyn Sanguinetti and U.S. Senate candidate Jim Oberweis, both of who strongly oppose the freedom to marry, LGBT family adoption rights and other legal protections. Moreover, he has given tens of thousands of dollars to anti-LGBT candidates throughout our state.
The record is clear: LGBT couples and their families will not be welcome in Bruce Rauner’s Illinois. All of us, friends and family alike, must remember who really stands with the LGBT community this November.
Sincerely,
Bernard Cherkasov, CEO, Equality Illinois
Art Johnston, Founder of Equality Illinois
Jim Bennett, Midwest Regional Director, Lambda Legal
Jeremy Gottschalk, Chair, Equality Illinois PAC
State Rep. Kelly Cassidy
State Rep. Ann Williams
John Kohlhepp, Campaign Manager, Illinois Unites for Marriage
David Munar, President & CEO, Howard Brown Health Center
Anthony Martinez, Executive Director, Civil Rights Agenda
Alyx S. Pattison, Candidate, Second Ward Alderman
Nancy Kohn
Jacob Meister
John Peller
Keith Kelleher
Ray Koenig
Sarah Schmidt
Lynda DeLaforgue
Debra Bernard
David Jablonowski
Kevin Boyer
Robert Hoeppner
Ian Gray
Peter Johnson
Jeanne Kracher
Laura McAlpine
Claire Alshuler
Melinda Dunker
Mary Morten
Pat Ewert
Dalila Fridi
Jeff Souva
Michael Garzel
Frank Walker
Mandi Hinkley
Zoa Norman
Doug Ferguson
Chip Howard
Willard Dumas III
Kitty Kurth
Robert Newhart
Robert Ollis
Dave Lowitzki
Anders Lindall
Jordan Heinz
MK Czerwiec
Matthew Zaradich
Kyle Hillman
John Litchfield
Charles Watkins
Camilla Taylor
Jason Burch
Art Friedson
Nicole Bashor
Cynthia Homan
Kennette Crockett
Jacquelyn Haas
Kay Miles
Deb Murphy
Barbara Provus
Frederick Wackerle
Sharon Webber
Claudia Mosier
Jennifer and Leslie Henry
Gail Morse
Shirley Baugher
Norman Baugher