Jennifer Garrison-- does she look sort of like Erin Zeigler?Steve Israel, an ex-p.r. flack (and Blue Dog), who Steny Hoyer forced Nancy Pelosi to appoint DCCC Chairman, got an idea. One of Israel's Long Island neighbors, a constituent and on the board of the synagogue Israel attended, wrote this on his blog a few months ago:
My "Representative" Steve Israel is more than someone with whom I disagree with politically. He is a man with the moral fiber to stiff a Synagogue out of thousands of dollars when he decided to move (a debt that was eventually paid by an anonymous donor when a member of the Synagogue's board threatened to release the info to the press-- yes that was me).
The "anonymous donor," basically gave a hefty bribe to Israel-- a tax-deductible one-- by paying off his debt. It's so illegal and unethical! But that's a story for another day. I only brought it up because of the idea it put in Israel's head. When the synagogue's board of directors threatened to take their complaints to the press, he surrendered. He has been threatening to beat up on Democrats in Congress who haven't paid their DCCC dues by going to the press. Most Members are laughing at him.I think they should go one further. Members serious about core values-- like women's Choice or LGBT equality-- should give Israel an ultimatum: if he keeps recruiting anti-Choice and antigay candidates like Jennifer Garrison in Ohio, Jerry Cannon in Michigan and the Mystery Meat garbage candidates who refuse to take any positions for the voters, then no more dues.One Member told me recently that he's getting pushback from LGBT donors because of Israel's prioritization of Jennifer Garrison. "Sophisticated donors know about her disgraceful record," he told me, "and they don't want to give any money that they fear could go to elect her. I don't blame them. Would Israel back an anti-Semite? I don't think so." Here's Garrison's record. This is the trash Steve Israel wants you to send the DCCC money for:Garrison beat a Republican incumbent in 2004 to win a state house seat from Southeast Ohio, by ATTACKING HER GOP OPPONENT FOR BEING TOO PRO-GAY. Yes, you read that right. From the Gay People's Chronicle:
Garrison already has a rocky relationship with the LGBT community. She won her House seat by gay-baiting her predecessor, Nancy Hollister, in 2004.Earlier that year, Hollister was the only Republican to vote against the so-called “defense of marriage act.” It was considered a courageous vote.Garrison sent out mailings that read, “If you believe marriage is between one man and one woman, there’s something you should know about Nancy Hollister.”The other side of the card said, “DOMA was enacted precisely to protect Ohioans from having to accept ‘marriages’ or ‘unions’ entered into in other states. Despite the value of DOMA, Nancy Hollister voted against it. Jennifer Garrison believes marriage is between one man and one woman and will fight to protect our values.”In 2006, as a member of the House Education Committee, Garrison helped to kill an amendment that would have required Ohio schools to protect students from bullying for their sexual orientation or gender identity.The anti-bullying bill passed without the LGBT protections.An attorney, Garrison opposed EHEA last year, saying it is wrong to single out classes of people for protection. This is a common talking point that anti-gays use against equality laws, and is legally flawed.
From the Akron Beacon Journal (November 11, 2004):
Garrison turned the Hollister vote [against the Ohio Defense of Marriage Act] into something seemingly sinister. She told the Parkersburg (W.Va.) newspapers that ‘the big difference between Nancy and I is the gay marriage issue. I am against it. She is for it.’ Garrison sent mailings into homes that read: ‘If you believe marriage is between one man and one woman, there is something you should know about Nancy Hollister.’ The mailing then all but declares that Hollister embraces gay marriage, concluding Garrison will ‘fight to protect our values.’ Karl Rove would be proud. Clearly, Garrison rode the wave of state Issue 1. She and her pals should be ashamed.”
But not only content to have the LGBT community exist as second-class citizens, Jennifer Garrison also wants her own gender to subist that way. From a NARAL email yesterday:
Last week, Jennifer Garrison, a Democrat from Marietta, officially entered the race for Ohio’s Secretary of State. Jennifer Garrison currently serves in the Ohio House of Representatives and has a 0% rating from NARAL Pro-Choice Ohio.Rep. Garrison showed just how extreme her anti-choice position is when she filled out the 2008 candidate questionnaire for Ohio Right to Life, saying she would:* support legislation in Ohio to outlaw abortion (with only an exception to save a woman’s life),* support legislation that would allow pharmacists to refuse to dispense emergency contraception, and* support state funding for so-called “crisis pregnancy centers” that lie to women about the risks of abortion and never refer patients for abortion or birth control services.Representative Garrison does not share our values.
UPDATE: GOOD NEWS COMING NEXT WEEKSteve Israel's conservative pal Garrison gets a primary challenge from a genuine fighting progressive. Stay tuned. This will be a good one.