While seeking the US Senate seat in 1994, Mitt Romney wrote a letter to a gay rights group known as the Log Cabin Club claiming that he supported full equality for America's gay and lesbian citizens. He claimed that even though has opponent - Senator Ted Kennedy - was an ardent supporter of gay rights, he would be more effective in moving the issue into the main stream of American concern. He stated that he supported the Federal Employee Nondiscrimination Act and President Clinton's "don't ask, don't tell" policy.
While seeking the governor's seat for Massachusetts in 2002, Mitt Romney's campaign circulated a flier in a gay pride weekend asserting his support for equal rights for all Americans regardless of sexual orientation.
During his tenure in office, the Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) of Massachusetts issued a ruling claiming that denial of marriage to same sex couples was not legal. Governor Romney supported the establishment of civil unions to satisfy the court decision that a legal alternative be available. The court rejected this compromise and gay marriage was made legal despite Governor Romneys objections and calls for a statewide vote. His critics called on him to issue an order forbidding the establish and cited state laws establishing marriage as between a man and a woman. Governor Romney stated that he would abide by "the law" established by the court ruling.
Beginning in 2005, Governor Romney appeared on numerous news outlets restating his previous opposition to gay marriage, and stating that he opposed civil unions and stating that every child deserved a mother and a father. In debates and interviews, he stated that a hodgepodge of marriage rules in every state would not be a feasible situation. He supports a constitutional amendment to define gay marriage.
Letter to Log Cabin Club
While running for the US Senate against Senator Ted Kennedy in 1994, Mitt Romney wrote a letter to the Log Cabin Club of Massachusetts - a gay rights political group. In that letter, he states that he would be a better promoter of civil rights for gays than Senator Kennedy.
To the Members of the Log Cabin Club of Massachusetts:
I am writing to thank the Log Cabin Club of Massachusetts for the advice and support you have given me during my campaign for the US Senate and to seek the Club's formal endorsement of my election. The Log Cabin Club has played a vital role in reinvigorating the Republican Party in Massachusetts and your endorsement is important to me because it will provide further confirmation that my campaign and approach to government is consistent with the values and vision of government we share.
I am pleased to have had an opportunity to talk with you and to meet many of you personally during your September meeting. I learned a great deal from those discussions and many thoughtful questions you posed. As a result of our discussions and other interactions with gay and lesbian voters across the state, I am more convinced than ever before that as we seek to establish full equality for America's gay and lesbian citizens, I will provide more effective leadership than my opponent.
I am not unaware of my opponents considerable record in the area of civil rights, or the commitment of Massachusetts voters to the principle of equality for all Americans. For some voters it might be enough for me to simply match my opponent's record in this area. But I believe we can and must do better. If we are to achieve the goals we share, we must make equality for gays and lesbians a mainstream concern. My opponent cannot do this. I can and will.
We have discussed a number of important issues such as the Federal Employee Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA), which I have agreed to co-sponsor, and if possible broaden to include housing and credit, and the bill to create a federal panel to find ways to reduce gay and lesbian youth suicide, which I also support. One issue I want to clarify concerns President Clinton's "don't ask, don't tell, don't pursue" military policy. I believe that the Clinton compromise was a step in the right direction. I am also convinced that it is the first of a number of steps that will ultimately lead to gays and lesbians being able to serve openly and honestly in our nation's military. That goal will only be reached when preventing discrimination against gays and lesbians is a mainstream concern, which is a goal we share.
As we begin the final phase of this campaign, I need your support more than ever. By working together, we will achieve the goals we share for Massachusetts and our nation.
Sincerely
W. Mitt Romney
Gay Pride Flier
In 2002, while running for the Governor's office in Massachusetts, Mitt Romney's campaign circulated a flier at a gay pride festival stating that the Romney Healey campaign supported the gay pride weekend and that all citizens deserve equal rights.
The Goodrich Ruling
On November 18, 2003 Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts ruled that same-sex marriage is protected in the Massachusetts Constitution. This was known as the “Goodridge” ruling.
Governor Romney's Response
Governor Romney responded to the ruling with a statement implicitly recognizing SJC’s authority and noting the need for a constitutional amendment.
I agree with 3,000 years of recorded history. I disagree with the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts. Marriage is an institution between a man and a woman. I will support an amendment to the Massachusetts Constitution to make that expressly clear. Of course, basic civil rights and appropriate benefits must be available to people in nontraditional relationships, but marriage is a special institution between a man and a woman, and our constitution and laws should reflect that.”
Stay of Execution
The ruling in question stated that "barring an individual from the protections, benefits and obligations of civil marriage solely because that person would marry a person of the same sex violates the Massachusetts Constitution." It stayed the order 180 days "to permit the Legislature to take such action as it may deem appropriate in light of this opinion." Many people, including Governor Romney, viewed this 180 day stay of execution as a chance to enact a civil union policy. Governor Romney moved forward with efforts to promote civil union policy, but those efforts failed to materialize into law.
Under that opinion, I believe that a civil union type provision would be sufficient. I believe their decision indicates that a provision which provided benefits, obligation, rights, and responsibilities, which are consistent with marriage but perhaps could be called by a different name, would be in conformity with their decision.
I expect that is what the supreme court was suggesting with the 180-day time period
Civil Unions Not Enough
In February of 2004, the SJC reacted to a proposition put forth by state legislatures in Massachusetts proposing civil unions for same-sex couples and marriage for traditional couples. The SJC stated:
The bill's absolute prohibition of the word `marriage' by `spouses' who are the same sex is more than semantic. The dissimilitude between the terms `civil marriage' and `civil union' is not innocuous; it is a considered choice of language that reflects a demonstrable assigning of same-sex, largely homosexual, couples to second-class status.
... For no rational reason the marriage laws of the Commonwealth discriminate against a defined class; no amount of tinkering with language will eradicate that stain.
... Barred access to the protections, benefits and obligations of civil marriage, a person who enters into an intimate, exclusive union with another of the same sex is arbitrarily deprived of membership in one of our community's most rewarding and cherished institutions.
Call for a Vote
When the SJC stated that it would not consider the use of civil unions as appropriate, Governor Romney called for a statewide vote to allow the people to decide.
We've heard from the court, but not from the people. The people of Massachusetts should not be excluded from a decision as fundamental to our society as the definition of marriage.
Gay Marriages Become Legal
When the stay of execution was over, the court ruling went into affect. Governor Romney stated that he would abide by the law for the state, and also enforce provisions that made it illegal for same-sex couples in another state to be married in Massachusetts. Critics stated that no law had gone into affect, and no vote was taken. They asked Governor Romney to stop the enactment of the ruling with an executive order, noting that original marriage laws defined it as between one man and one woman. Governor Romney stated the following:
All along, I have said an issue as fundamental to society as the definition of marriage should be decided by the people. Until then, I intend to follow the law and expect others to do the same.
Hugh Hewitt Appearance
On July 26, 2005, Governor Romney appeared on the Hugh Hewitt program and discussed gay marriage. He stated that every child in America has the right to a mother and a father.
HH: Last question, Governor Romney. We've got about a minute and a half. Your state has same sex marriage, because of an edict from your Court, 4-3. How has that impacted your state? And what is your opinion, a year after, or more than a year after, that decision on the role of the courts in so ordaining?
MR: Well, there are two ways in which that decision has impacted us of significance. The first is, that there's a great deal of confusion relating to the rights of children, either adopted by or born to same sex couples, particularly if they move to other states, their concerns with regards to divorce procedures, rights of inheritance, and so forth. It's kind of a legal mess, because the disparity between different states and the lack of clarity in our own state creates an uncertain set of rights and obligations on the part of the parents and in favor of the child. But the real impact of same sex marriage is not something you're going to recognize in a year or two. The impact is over generations. I believe each child in America has the right to have a mother and a father.
Hardball Appearance
In August of 2005, Governor Romney appeared onHardball with Chris Mathews and spoke about his opposition to gay marriage and civil unions.
CHRIS MATTHEWS: Do you think there's any difference, really, between a gay marriage and something called a civil union?
GOV. MITT ROMNEY, MASSACHUSETTS: Well, I would rather have neither, to tell you the truth. I'd rather that domestic partner benefits, such as hospital - hospital visitation rights for same-sex couples. I don't want civil unions or gay marriage.
But there is a difference, even when just the word is the difference. And the difference is that, if you indicate as a society that you're indifferent between a same-sex couple marrying and a heterosexual couple marrying, then it means our schools and other institutions are going to have to indicate that there is no difference whatsoever, and that obviously has societal consequences that are important.
MATTHEWS: You mean if we called it marriage II or barriage or come up with some other word, and yet the law was exactly the same, that would be significant?
ROMNEY: Well, I'm not sure we are going to come up with a different word.
But if you say that the society is entirely indifferent between whether you have heterosexuals or homosexual couples marrying, then how do you justify, for instance, having birth certificates that include the names of mothers and fathers? We have same-sex couples in my state now saying, we ought to remove mother and father from our birth certificate, instead saying parent A and parent B.
We have schools that believe that it's inappropriate to consider mother and father in textbooks. Some have said that that's two hetero-centrist.
MATTHEWS: Yes.
ROMNEY: And so, you know, I think it's appropriate for us to indicate that we do care as a society and that marriage is a relationship preserved for a man and a woman.
MATTHEWS: Help me understand Massachusetts politics here. Is it a battle between a very hyped-up, passionate interest group, gay people and their supporters, against a sort of a vague opposition to it ... tell me, what is it? What is the politics of this issue? Why doesn't the state of Massachusetts, through its elected officials, simply overrule the Supreme Court up there and say, there's not going to be any gay marriage; I don't care what some judge says about the Constitution written 200 years ago? Why don't they just do that?
ROMNEY: Well, well, as you know, it's not that easy. When a court overreaches its bounds and decides to legislate from the bench, it's pretty hard to overturn that.
In our case, we have to pass a constitutional amendment. And my legislature is in, some respects, liberal. It has a conservative wing as well. But the liberal wing is fighting very hard for same-sex marriage or its legal equivalent, civil union. And so, as this has gone before the legislature in the past, they've said that the people ought to decide. I agree with them. Let's let the people decide.
So, we will have a constitutional convention this year. Hopefully, the decision of our legislature will be to let the people decide. And, specifically, I hope that people will be able to decide that neither civil union, nor same-sex marriage is legal in Massachusetts.
MATTHEWS: If they end up agreeing on a civil union solution, would you continue to fight for change to go back to the original man-and-a-woman proposition?
ROMNEY: Well, yes. I'm going to want to see a marriage limited to a man and a woman. I don't want to see civil union either.
Of course, if we find ourselves in a setting where the only choice is between civil union and marriage, I will prefer civil union. But I would prefer neither.
Second Hardball Appearance
On April 12, 2006 Governor Romney appeared on Hardball and was asked again about his views on gay marriage, civil unions, and the role of the federal government.
Chris Mathews: You were quite a hit at that Memphis Republican get together, you amazed me at how tough you were on the marriage issue.
Governor Romney: Well, I made it real clear from the very beginning that I favor marriage between one man and a woman and I am not in favor of same-sex marriage, I am not in favor of civil unions, and there is no question that people who attend those events agree with me.
...
It's real clear that Americans, myself included believe that marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman, and not more than that, and also not same-sex couples. And that's something that I think is important to my party, and to both parties, and I think that the Democratic party, particularly in my state has made an error my adopting a platform that supports gay marriage.
ABC News Interview
In February of 2007, Governor Romney was interviewed by ABC News's George Stephanopoulis. When asked about gay marriage, Governor Romney indicated that he believed marriage was between one man and one woman. He also indicated that he supported keeping don't ask, don't tell in place.
Stephanopoulos: Let me move to the issue of gay rights.
When you ran for Senator in 1994, you supported the "don't ask, don't tell" policy on gays in the military as what you called a first step that will ultimately lead to gays and lesbians being able to serve openly and honestly in our nation's military.
Is that still the goal, that gays and lesbians should be able to serve openly and honestly in the military?
Mitt Romney: Well, "don't ask, don't tell" has worked well.
At that point, I must admit, I was somewhat uncertain as to whether that would work and I was skeptical as to whether that policy would work.
It's now been in place for well over a decade. We're in the middle of a conflict. Now is not the time for a change in that regard and I don't have a policy posture as to allowing gays in the military to serve there openly.
But I can tell you that I'm against discrimination against people who are gay and lesbian.
Stephanopoulos: What do you, I don't understand, that you don't have a policy posture? Before, you thought that there should be...
Mitt Romney: I'm not in favor of changing it. I'm in favor of leaving it as it is. Certainly, at this stage, there's no reason to change it.
The policy that we've had in place for over a decade is working. So my view is keep it in place, don't move for a change.
Stephanopoulos: That current policy labels homosexuality as a defect. Is that what you believe?
Mitt Romney: You know, I'm not going to suggest that I'm in any way a psychologist. That's a decision a psychologist would have to tell you and I'm not going to weigh in on that.
What I can tell you is I oppose discrimination on the basis of race, gender, but also sexual preference.
And so I'm not in favor of discrimination in that regard, but I do favor and have always favored traditional marriage and oppose same sex marriage.
Stephanopoulos: I was just going to get to that.
Mitt Romney: From the very beginning of my political life and well before that, I've felt marriage is between a man and a woman and not between people of the same gender.
Stephanopoulos: You have been consistent about that, but what do you think about legally recognizing domestic partnerships for gay and lesbian couples?
Mitt Romney: I don't know if there needs to be a legal recognition, meaning two people can enter into a partnership, whether they're people who love each other or whether they're just friends. They can enter into a contract and have contractual relationships with one another.
Stephanopoulos: But not sanctioned by the state…
But that doesn't require a sanction by the state and so that's a decision each state would have to make. I wouldn't seek to impose, at the national level, a prohibition on contractual relationships between two people.
But my view is, at the national level, we should define marriage as a relationship between a man and a woman. And this isn't about adult rights.
A lot of people get confused that gay marriage is about treating gay people the same as treating heterosexual people, and that's not the issue involved here.
This is about the development and nurturing of children. Marriage is primarily an institution to help develop children and children's development, I believe, is greatly enhanced by access to a mom and a dad.
I think every child deserves a mom and a dad, and that's why I'm so consistent and vehement in my view that we should have a federal amendment which defines marriage in that way.
Stephanopoulos: I was going to ask you about that, because in 2005, in South Carolina, you actually seemed to mock the idea of gays and lesbians adopting and bearing children.
Mitt Romney: No, that wasn't my intent. I know one quote said I made the point that gay couples are even having children and there's been a lot of attention.
I think it wasn't apparent immediately to me that two people of the same gender would be having children. Biologically, that doesn't work, unless, of course, there are donors, and I've made that point to the audience.
I don't mean to mock that in any way and I know we have gay adoption in Massachusetts. Other states do. It's a decision made by state-by-state…
Stephanopoulos: Are you for it?
Mitt Romney: …and there are gay couples that are having children of their own and, obviously, that's their right.
But my belief is that the idea setting for a child is where there's a mom and a dad.
Stephanopoulos: So you don't share the concern of some Evangelicals, like James Dobson, with Mary Cheney's announcement that she was going to have a child.
Mitt Romney: My view is that the right model for the nation and the right standard for the nation is marriage is between a man and a woman and a child deserves a mom and a dad.
John King Interview
In May of 2009, Governor Romney stated in an interview with Eric Cantor by John King for CNN. When asked about gay marriage, he stated that having different marriage provisions in various states would cause difficulty.
John King: Since the last election, a number of states have moved ahead with same-sex marriage proposals. Some have done it legislatively, some have done it other ways. Some have done it through the courts, which I know both of you think is the wrong way to do anything, whether it's same sex marriage or anything else. But if at the end of this conversation, you come to the conclusion that the consensus of the people you are talking to is to agree with Steve Schmidt, John McCain's campaign manager, that the Republicans are viewed as intolerant because we want constitutional amendments banning same-sex marriage ... If at the end of this conversation, the consensus is "leave it to the states," which was Dick Cheney's position, that was Tom Delay's position, to be federalists and let state by state make these decisions, are you both willing to support that?
Governor Romney: My view I have laid out before is that you really can't have different marriage provisions in different states and then expect people to be able to move around the nation, and have different rights in different states. Marriage is a matter of national consequence. It's a status, it's not an activity, and as a result there should be a national standard. And my own view is that marriage is a relationship between a man and a woman.
Piers Morgan Interview
On June 8, 2011 Governor Romney was interviewed by Piers Morgan for CNN. In that interview, he stated that he supported equal rights for homosexuals for laws such as employment and other protections, but he does not support gay marriage.
Piers Morgan: When you say "I'm in favor of gay rights," if you don't mind me saying, you're not. You're in favor of some, but not all.
Governor Romney: Well, what happened was that the gay community changed what they wanted. When I ran for governor, one of the big issues was gay marriage. My opponent said she would sign a bill in favor of gay marriage, I said I would not. I said the I opposed same-sex marriage. At the same time, I said that I would advance the efforts not to discriminate against the people who were gay, but marriage ....
Piers Morgan: What is the gay right that you are in favor of?
Governor Romeny: Well, equal rights in employment, equal rights in umm ... For instance as the governor, I had members of my team who were gay, I appointed a couple of judges who I find out later were gay. I didn't ask people their sexual orientation.
Piers Morgan: Does your faith mean that you view homosexuality as a sin?
Governor Romney: I separate quite distinctly matters of personal faith from the leadership that one has in a political sense.
Piers Morgan: Can you do that?
Governor Romney: Absolutely
Piers Morgan: Seriously?
Governor Romney: You don't begin to apply the doctrine of a religion to guiding a nation or for guiding a state.
Piers Morgan: What in the mormon position on homosexuality being a sin?
Governor Romney: You know, that's something that you can take up with my church. I'm not a spokesman for my church.
Piers Morgan: Don't you know?
Governor Romney: I'm not a spokesman for my church, and one thing that I am not going to do is become a spokesman for my church or apply a religious test which simply is forbidden by the Constitution. I'm not going there.
New Hampshire Debate
In the New Hampshire Presidential debate, Governor Romney stated that he would support a constitutional amendment to define marriage as between one man and one woman.
KING: On that point -- on that point, to voters out there for whom this is an important issue, let's try to quickly go through it. Let me start at this end, we'll just go right through. I'll describe it this way. Are you a George W. Bush Republican, meaning a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage, or a Dick Cheney who, like I believe, the congresswoman just said, this should be made -- this decision, same sex marriage, should be a state's decision?
CAIN: State's decision.
QUESTION: Yes.
PAWLENTY: I support a constitutional amendment to define marriage between a man and woman. I was the co-author of the state -- a law in Minnesota to define it and now we have courts jumping over this.
KING: OK. Let's just go through this.
PAUL: The federal government shouldn't be involved. I wouldn't support an amendment. But let me suggest -- one of the ways to solve this ongoing debate about marriage, look up in the dictionary. We know what marriage is all about.
But then, get the government out of it. Why doesn't it go to the church? And why doesn't it to go to the individuals? I don't think government should give us a license to get married. It should be in the church.
KING: Governor Romney, constitutional amendment or state decision?
ROMNEY: Constitutional.
...
ROMNEY: Well, one, we ought to be talking about the economy and jobs. But given the fact you're insistent, the -- the answer is, I believe that "don't ask/don't tell" should have been kept in place until conflict was over.
Iowa Debate
In August of 2011, Governor Romney participated in the Republican Presidential debate. He states that he supports a federal amendment defining marriage.
YORK: Thank you Ms. Bachmann. Now we're going to ask a few questions about gay marriage starting with Governor Romney. When the Massachusetts supreme court legalized gay marriage in 2003, you accused the justices of assuming for themselves the powers that should belong to the state legislature.
Now that the New York state legislature has legalized gay marriage, do you believe state lawmakers have the right to make same-sex marriage legal in their states?
ROMNEY: I'd far prefer having the representers people make that decision than justices. But I believe the issue of marriage should be decided at the federal level.
You might wonder why is that? Why wouldn't you just let each state make their own decision? And the reason is because people move from state to state of course in a society like ours, they have children. As to go to different states, if one state recognizes a marriage and the other does not, what's the right of that child? What kind of divorce proceeding potential would there be in a state that didn't recognize a marriage in the first place?
There are -- marriage is a status. It's not an activity that goes on within the walls of a state. And a result our marriage status relationship should be constant across the country.
I believe we should have a federal amendment in the constitution that defines marriage as a relationship between a man and woman, because I believe the ideal place to raise a child is in a home with a mom and a dad
