Nadler To Introduce DOMA Repeal Bill

According to WashingtonBlade.com, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) will introduce a law next week that would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which prevents the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages. Read more HERE.

YES, I know passage is a long shot, and YES I know Barney Frank has not yet signed on. However, I would like to give Congressman Nadler a shout-out for his efforts - especially since he is MY Congressman. Yes, Nadler represents much of the West Side of Manhattan, including Hell's Kitchen (my neighborhood). I happily vote for "Jerry" every two years at the elementary school polling place around the corner - and I will continue to do so as long as he continues to run.

Will Bush Pardon His "Cronies"?

There has been a lot of talk that during his final days in office, President Bush may issue a "blanket pardon" for anyone in his administration who broke the law by following official administration policies (torture, domestic spying, etc).

My Congressman, Rep. Jerrold Nadler, chairman of the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights, and Civil Liberties, introduced H.R. 1531 in Congress Friday. The resolution, according to a press release from the Congressman..

...is in response to President Bush’s widespread abuses of power and potentially criminal transgressions against our Constitution. The Resolution aims to prevent undeserved pardons of officials who may have been co-conspirators in the President’s unconstitutional policies, such as torture, illegal surveillance and curtailing of due process for defendants.

"This Resolution declares that we will not tolerate a last minute attempt by President Bush to shelter his cronies – cronies who may well be guilty of serious criminal offenses – from the full force of the law," said Rep. Nadler. "President Bush must not excuse his own officials from possibly illegal acts committed outside the context of their official duties. Such pardons would merely obfuscate the truth and amount to a gross miscarriage of justice."

I LOVE Rep. Nadler and the fact that he has the balls to introduce official legislation that uses the word "cronies", and calls Dubya out for his illegal bullshit. Bravo Jerry!!!

Gay Equality Caucus Formed In Congress

The House of Representatives currently has two openly gay members – Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Barney Frank (D-MA).

Since there aren’t enough openly gay members for a traditional “caucus” (like the Black Caucus or the Hispanic Caucus), Representatives Baldwin and Frank will co-chair the LGBT Equality Caucus – consisting of members who are friendly to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender causes.

The Caucus currently consists of 52 members of Congress – all Democrats. One of the Vice Chairs is my Congressman, Jerrold Nadler. We love Congressman Nadler on the West Side of Manhattan – and I have held fundraisers here at the restaurant for him.

To read a complete list of the members of the LGBT Equality Caucus, go here.

Isn’t it wonderful when the DEMOCRATS control Congress?...