I guess he represents his party more than his family.
A Republican lawmaker is, rightfully, getting bad press after he attended his son’s same-sex wedding just three days after voting against the House bill to codify marriage equality. According to NBC News, the gay son of Pennsylvania Rep. Glenn Thompson confirmed that his father attended his weeding on Friday. Thompson’s press secretary, Maddison Stone, also confirmed Thompson’s attendance at the wedding.
“Congressman and Mrs. Thompson were thrilled to attend and celebrate their son’s marriage on Friday night as he began this new chapter in his life,” Stone said in an email to NBC, adding that the Thompsons are “very happy” to welcome their new son-in-law “into their family.”
But if that’s the case, why is it that the House representative voted against protected gay marriage? Last Tuesday, Thompson was one of 157 House Republicans to vote against the bill. Thankfully though, 47 GOP members joined Democrats to pass the bill.
But that’s not all. Even Thompson’s team is openly against codifying same-sex marriage. Stone said in an email to local newspaper Centre Daily last week that the Respect for Marriage Act was “nothing more than an election-year messaging stunt for Democrats in Congress who have failed to address historic inflation and out of control prices at gas pumps and grocery stores.”
Related: Congress To Vote On Protecting Marriage Equality This Weekend
The Respect for Marriage Act was introduced in both chambers of the U.S. Congress earlier this month. The legislation would protect same-sex marriage, which has become discussed as a possible target for pullback by the Supreme Court. The legislation would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act or DOMA from 1996, which defines marriage as a union between one man and one woman. If the Supreme Court were to rule against Obergefell v. Hodges, DOMA could be used to block same-sex marriages in select states.
The Respect for Marriages Act would also include a patchwork of marriage laws to make states legally recognize same-sex marriages and interracial marriages if those marriages were validly performed in a different state.
Back to Rep. Thompson of the 15th congressional district, his hypocrisy could go unchallenged. After all, the politician is up for re-election in November. But, unfortunately, he currently has no Democratic competitor in the race and the primary already happened. Too bad, because this development could be a great time for someone else, and someone who actually supports same-sex marriage, to shine.
Source: NBC News, Centre Daily,
A lot of people against gay marriage themselves have gay kids, it’s actually quite sad.