Last-minute ad campaign fuels R-71 battle
SEATTLE -- There's a huge influx of money into the Referendum 71 campaign, including $200,000 from a group that says it wants to protect family values.
The group plans to use the money on a last-minute radio advertising blitz:
Gays, lesbians and their supporters smiled when the Governor signed the everything but marriage act into law.
But not so fast -- religious fundamentalists and those who believe marriage is a bond meant only for a man and a women got angry. They also got enough signatures to force a vote of the people.
One conservative evangelical minister sat on the sidelines.
"Well, I didn't want the church to be viewed as oppressive," said Pastor Joe Fuiten. "I thought the people had decided through their representatives, and that was it."
But then came this radio ad:
"Please vote reject on R-71 when you mail in your ballot. Make sure we keep marriage about traditional families," the ad says
The Family Policy Institute of Washington put up $200,000 to have its ads aired. And that means Fuiten is now involved. He's a board member of the institute.
"The government has messed up in the economy and the mortgage crisis. And they are in the process of messing up the family with this domestic partnership law," Fuiten said.
The ad isn't sitting well with the Accept R-71 Committee.
"We can't afford to lose rights that everyone else takes for granted, like the right to take unpaid medical leave to care for a critically-ill partner," said Josh Friedes, a committee member.
But Fuiten says it's his side that stands to lose too much.
"Over hundred times in the law itself, it says domestic partnership shall be considered marriage. So in every way this is not going to lead to marriage; it is marriage," he said.
"It is not marriage," said Friedes. "It is far from marriage. There are far fewer protections, We're not getting any of the federal protections like social security survivors benefits, immigration rights, equal treatment under the IRS."
So what does it all add up to? Best guess: by Nov. 3, the campaign will have change few minds, but it will cost the two sides $2 million.
And the campaign could become even more expensive. The family group opposing the referendum is asking a federal court to eliminate any requirement that it name its contributors. They group also wants the court to throw out a $5,000 limit on individual contributions.
The group plans to use the money on a last-minute radio advertising blitz:
Gays, lesbians and their supporters smiled when the Governor signed the everything but marriage act into law.
But not so fast -- religious fundamentalists and those who believe marriage is a bond meant only for a man and a women got angry. They also got enough signatures to force a vote of the people.
One conservative evangelical minister sat on the sidelines.
"Well, I didn't want the church to be viewed as oppressive," said Pastor Joe Fuiten. "I thought the people had decided through their representatives, and that was it."
But then came this radio ad:
"Please vote reject on R-71 when you mail in your ballot. Make sure we keep marriage about traditional families," the ad says
The Family Policy Institute of Washington put up $200,000 to have its ads aired. And that means Fuiten is now involved. He's a board member of the institute.
"The government has messed up in the economy and the mortgage crisis. And they are in the process of messing up the family with this domestic partnership law," Fuiten said.
The ad isn't sitting well with the Accept R-71 Committee.
"We can't afford to lose rights that everyone else takes for granted, like the right to take unpaid medical leave to care for a critically-ill partner," said Josh Friedes, a committee member.
But Fuiten says it's his side that stands to lose too much.
"Over hundred times in the law itself, it says domestic partnership shall be considered marriage. So in every way this is not going to lead to marriage; it is marriage," he said.
"It is not marriage," said Friedes. "It is far from marriage. There are far fewer protections, We're not getting any of the federal protections like social security survivors benefits, immigration rights, equal treatment under the IRS."
So what does it all add up to? Best guess: by Nov. 3, the campaign will have change few minds, but it will cost the two sides $2 million.
And the campaign could become even more expensive. The family group opposing the referendum is asking a federal court to eliminate any requirement that it name its contributors. They group also wants the court to throw out a $5,000 limit on individual contributions.