09/27/2007
Senate Passes Hate Crimes Bill by Vote of 60-39
Success has been achieved in a cloture vote on the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes. The Senate passed it by a vote of 60-39. The Senate then added the Kennedy-Smith hate crimes amendment to the Department of Defense authorization bill by voice vote.
The AP notes: "Attaching hard-to-pass legislation to must-pass bills is a strategy for both parties. Success means forcing squeamish lawmakers to technically vote for controversial policies embedded in massive spending bills."
Bush has threatened to veto the hate crimes bill, but now that it is attached to a bill funding the Defense Department and his Iraq war, will he still veto it?
The AP reports: "The hate crimes amendment, which passed as a stand-alone bill in the House this year, is especially tempting for majority Democrats because of Bush's weakened, lame-duck status and some support for the measure among Republicans. The underlying bill would authorize military spending priorities for fiscal 2008. That discussion began on the Senate floor even before it was brought up underscored the sensitivity for the White House. GOP leaders were careful not to attack the legislation itself, focusing instead on what they said was the 'non-germane' nature of the amendment to the overall spending bill. 'There may be a time and place for a hate crimes discussion, but it is certainly not now when national security legislation is being held up,' said Senate Republican Conference Chairman Jon Kyl of Arizona. 'Forcing a vote on the so-called hate crimes amendment shows an utter lack of seriousness about our national defense.' Retorted Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J.: 'For some, it never seems to be the right time or the right place.'"
Judy and Dennis Shepard have released a statement.
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Posted 12:00 PM EST by Andy Towle in Crime, Matthew Shepard, News | Permalink
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from Schmitz Blitz: schmitzblitz.wordpress.com
Senator Craig has apparently voted against the Kennedy hate crimes amendment, which would add gays to the federal hate crime statute.
If he voted against gays, he can’t possibly be gay, right?
Let’s see if the court reviewing his bathroom sex sting case buys it.
UPDATE: the hate crimes measure passed the Senate this morning by a vote of 60-39.
Posted by: Elizabeth Schmitz | Sep 27, 2007 12:45:25 PM
Great news.
Posted by: David Ehrenstein | Sep 27, 2007 12:56:35 PM
Larry Craig is a douchebag. I hate it when people in the media refer to his being "gay". I submit that he's not gay, he's a man who has sex with men and then lies about it. "Gay" is an identity forged through lots and lots of work, and I for one don't want him bowling on my night.
Posted by: Brian | Sep 27, 2007 1:10:22 PM
and some (cough*bill perdue*cough) say there is no difference between the major parties.
hugs, bill.
Posted by: nic | Sep 27, 2007 1:24:38 PM
LOL. Yayy, Brian! Well said.
Fantastic news. Now that it's stuck to a defense spending bill, let's see that asshole veto it.
Posted by: FizziekruntNT | Sep 27, 2007 1:26:41 PM
Congrats to all of the groups and individuals who have worked for years on this and to Judy and Dennis Shepard who's tireless ability to turn their loss and grief into hope and activism never ceases to amaze me.
Downside? The ink is barely dry on the "Take All the Credit/Give Us More Money" letters from HRC showing up in a mailbox near you soon.
Posted by: Leland Frances | Sep 27, 2007 1:33:08 PM
whose not who's...... Alzheimer's aint' pretty.
Posted by: Leland Frances | Sep 27, 2007 1:39:01 PM
I love this argument:
"There may be a time and place for a hate crimes discussion, but it is certainly not now when national security legislation is being held up." - Jon Kyl(R-Whocares)
Yet Congress could waste plenty of time condemning the MoveOn.org ad? How was that sham doing anything to help get a defense funding bill passed?
Posted by: Watusi | Sep 27, 2007 2:09:12 PM
what are the chances there will be a 'signing statement'
Posted by: jiberish | Sep 27, 2007 2:25:31 PM
watusi,
yeah, the repugs just pull out of their sorry asses whatever red-herring rhetoric they think might call attention away from their hate, even if it's something as cynical and shameful as using terrorism and death and dying.
whatevs. now is a time to rejoice.
Posted by: nic | Sep 27, 2007 2:27:47 PM
The Matthew Sheppard Act is urgently needed despite its weaknesses; the penalties aren’t harsh enough to deter hate crimes and they don’t routinely extend to include the politicians and religious fanatics who incite violence.
The urgency is obvious; the last few weeks have seen a national upturn in violence identical to those that played out in 2000 and 2004. The Republicans and the christian bigots are already hatemongering and we still have a year to go. The Democrats response, slicker and quieter but no less damaging, denies our right to marriage and full equality.
The combination of the three makes us, in the eyes of thugs and bigots, second class citizens. Wherever groups are made unequal by force of law, they're in jeopardy and the upsurge in beatings and even murders means we’re in for rough times again.
If it makes it past the Bigot in Chief in the White House we’ll have to press hard for its implementation
Posted by: Bill Perdue | Sep 27, 2007 2:49:35 PM
nic,
The Democrats usually control the Congress and could have passed this legislation long ago and We’d have never heard of Matthew Shepard or the 20 to 25 people who get lynched annually, or the 2000 or so who get beaten. www.ncavp.org
They’re cosmetic differences, not substantive. As Gore Vidal says, “Democracy is supposed to give you the feeling of choice, like Painkiller X and Painkiller Y. But they're both just aspirin.” (Hugs)
Posted by: Bill Perdue | Sep 27, 2007 3:11:35 PM
Its about time, its watered down, but, at least its on the books.
Isn't Jon Kyl the same one who was one of a few who would not sign onto the lynching apology a couple of years ago? Not the right thing to do? What is ever right for some of these Repugs? And, this is someone that Time magazine applauded as one of America's "best."
Sorry, Jon boy, get back to me when you can control the borders, that's where the nations defense is needed.
the hatred of the GOP for anyone who does not look like them and the fact that they can with a straight face say such trash is beyond amazing.
But, that said, its funny that his states voters, Arizona, were the only ones in the country who didn't fall for the anti gay marriage tripe and hysteria he spewed, maybe next time they will vote him out.
Posted by: Sebastian | Sep 27, 2007 4:44:17 PM
Follow the link to see how your senator voted.
http://senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=110&session=1&vote=00350
Posted by: jt | Sep 27, 2007 10:14:50 PM
hhmmm. That link was too long for the screen. Go here and look at vote 350
http://senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/vote_menu_110_1.htm
Posted by: jt | Sep 27, 2007 10:16:38 PM