DOMA Hearing: Al Franken Slams Focus on the Family's Tom Minnery

by NowPublic Staff | July 20, 2011 at 11:44 am

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Senate Hearings on Overturning Defense of Marriage Act

California Senator Diane Feinstein's Respect for Marriage Act, which would overturn DOMA (Defense of Marriage Act), is undergoing hearings with the Senate Judiciary Committee. The House version of the bill was introduced by Jerrold Nadler(D-NY).

Watch Live: Senate Judiciary Committee Debates DOMA Repeal

DOMA, signed by President Bill Clinton in 1996, legally defines marriage as between a man and a woman under federal law, and mandates that no state has to honor a same-sex marriage from another state.

Parts of DOMA are unconstitutional, though, according to US Attorney General Eric Holder.

President Barack Obama backs the repeal of DOMA: he is punting this issue back to the states, as he has stated in the past that he personally considers marriage to be between a man and a woman. However, he cannot afford to alienate gay voters if he wants a second term. Obama is framing it as a states'-rights issue, rather than a civil-rights issue.

Al Franken in Action

What most readers will remember from these hearings is Al Franken. Senator Franken, an original sponsor of the bill to overturn DOMA, took apart anti-gay group Focus on the Family's Tom Minnery. You can watch the video below.