Prop. 8 Brings in Boatloads of Dough

A total of about $8 million has already poured in from supporters and opponents of California's marriage ban, with everyone from Mary Cheney to PG&E throwing money at the epic battle.

By Julie Bolcer

An Advocate.com exclusive posted August 1, 2008

Receipts from supporters and opponents of Proposition 8 filed with the California secretary of state Thursday show that supporters of the marriage ban raised about $3.7 million in cash and in-kind contributions in the six-month period between January 1 and June 30, while opponents generated approximately $4.1 million within the same time frame.

The semiannual statements, which are filed by committees, or PACs, and established by groups to raise funds for and against Proposition 8, herald the start of an epic fund-raising battle over the November ballot initiative that would amend the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage.

 “Given the magnitude of this issue and the fact that it’s playing out in our largest state, I’m not terribly surprised by the amount of money that’s been attracted,” said Steven Billet, director of legislative affairs at the Graduate School of Political Management at George Washington University. “It’s probably going to attract a lot more before it’s all said and done.”

Prior to the November 4 vote on the ballot initiative, millions of dollars more from in and outside the state are expected to pour into California. Estimates suggest the total for opponents and supporters could reach as much as $30 million.

Filings with the secretary of state show hundreds of thousands of dollars in contributions from anti-Prop. 8 groups such as the Gill Action Fund, the Human Rights Campaign, the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, the American Civil Liberties Union of Northern California, the Los Angeles Gay and Lesbian Service Center, the Horizons Foundation, and the Democratic National Committee’s federal fund. Also appearing are large and moderate contributions from individuals, such as $50,000 from Ambassador James C. Hormel of California, and $3,000 from Mary Cheney of Virginia.  

Thousands of modest donations from individuals in and outside California also poured in to fight Proposition 8. According to the “No on 8 Equality for All” campaign, the lead committee established to fight the marriage ban, over 96% of its donors have contributed less than $1,000, and Internet donations total approximately $480,000. Those numbers likely will continue to grow, if the past few weeks offer any indication.

Not included in the semiannual filings are contributions made after June 30, such as $250,000 given in late July by Pacific Gas and Electric Company; $500,000 from David Maltz, a Cleveland businessman; and $1 million from Utah-based software entrepreneur Bruce Bastian, who announced his contribution at the San Francisco HRC dinner on July 26.

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Julie Bolcer is a freelance writer based in New York City.

Reader Comments

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Name: granddad
Date posted: 2008-08-12 1:51 PM
Hometown: Ontario

Comment:

While you snipe and back-bite at each other, the Homophobes of the LDS Church (the fourth largest denomination in America) in Salt Lake City are assembling an army of donors and precinct walkers in California. The goose-stepping has already started. There will be no squabbling or back-biting allowed. They move and act as one. There's a sunami on the horizon; you should be afraid - be very afraid. Or you should get your act together; Stop the sniveling, griping, second guessing, arm chair quarter-backing and hit the streets as one. The truth is on your side. Your biggest enemy is your divisiveness. That's were the Mormons and the far right will crush you if you let them.

Name: Father Raymond Clark
Date posted: 2008-08-06 2:45 PM
Hometown: San Diego CA

Comment:

If the total rises to $30 million, how many womyns' shelters, children and senior daycare centers, health clinics, hospice beds, meals, etc. does that represent. Hating GLBT people has nothing to do with morality, and everything to do with power and money. The Konservative Kristianist Kultists' anti-gay noise-making is a growth industry. At the same time, they don't do ANYTHING *Jesus* commanded in the Gospels ... you know ... those *peripheral* things like feeding the hungry, nursing the sick, caring for widows and orphans, visiting prisoners, burying the dead; they don't operate parish churches, celebrate the Sacraments, or anything ELSE, except spew hate and rake in the bucks. Seems to me Jesus had something to say about that: "My House shall be called a House of Prayer, but you have made it a DEN OF VIPERS!" Father Raymond Clark Superior (retired) Community of the Resurrection San Diego CA USA 92104

Name: L. Myron
Date posted: 2008-08-06 2:40 PM
Hometown: Edgewater, NJ

Comment:

Mary Cheney...keep your $3,000 and do something even more meaningful...get your parents to openly oppose this amendment. That would be worth far more than the $3,000 contribution. Also, where are KD, Melissa, Ellen, Rosie, Jeff Louganis, Nathan Lane, Tony Kushner, and all the other 'out' celebrities in all of this? Where are the so-called progressive straight celebrities who have made hefty gifts to Hillary and Barak? It's regretable that this even has to be voted on, but unfortunately because it does, there should be more of an outpouring of gay and gay-friendly celebrity support against this hateful amendment effort than there appears to be.

Name: Bartholemieux Andrews
Date posted: 2008-08-05 1:42 PM
Hometown: Salem, MA

Comment:

I find it strange in what my Massachusetts born father used to call "the land of fruits and nuts" that this didn't stop with the courts like it did here in Massachusetts. Attempted referenda never got to ballot. One line of thought that should be stressed by those campaigning is that marriage has a LEGAL definition, and not just on the state level, but the federal as well. As such, in the interest of civil rights, all non-biologically related adult couples, regardless of gender, should have access to this legally binding contract. All religious arguments against same-sex marriage need to be made moot by the fact that currently they are able to refuse to marry anyone if they don't deem the marriage will be a good one. The law is not able to tell ANY church it must marry any couple. As for the term "marriage" all I have to say is a rose by any other name, still smells like a rose.

Name: Arthur in Baltimore
Date posted: 2008-08-05 2:05 AM
Hometown: Baltimore

Comment:

This whole referendum is a disgrace to America, and a perfect example of a true abomination before God. Something about liberty and justice for all. And something about separation of church and state, lest we become just like the religio-state that gave us 9/11, Saudi Arabia. And these people call themselves Christians? Do they know that Jesus never said anything against gays. He spent His Life on Earth minstering to the poor, the sick, and the disenfranchised of his times. Someone asked who is the real encourager of this hatred, or if Hitler had been re-incarnated in America. Yes, he has. He has been born again, except with a new name. His initials are GWB. And he will do anything, along with the leaders of his party's right wing, to gain absolute power, even if it destroys the very fabric of this nation.

Name: Meg
Date posted: 2008-08-04 3:22 PM
Hometown: Tampa Bay, FL

Comment:

Seriously, you want to know if David Geffen contributed? Who really cares about one guy and his checkbook. Perhaps you should make a contribution and challenge him? How about we focus on mobilizing the masses? How about we ask every one of our friends and supporters -- gay or straight (but not narrow!) to contribute $10? If it is true that approximately 10% of the population is gay, that should well out-strip the dollars given by a few high-profile contibutors. Better yet, contribute $10 and place a tiny little rainbow sticker on ALL your credit/debit cards so that every time you use your cards, people know you support diversity and civil rights for ALL Americans?

Name: censoredagain
Date posted: 2008-08-04 10:27 AM
Hometown: Fayetteville, NC

Comment:

Over $8 million to fight for and against prop 8; what a waste of money! Good Christians should be ashamed of themselves; think of how many of Gods hungry children could have been fed with $8 million, the number of homeless that could be sheltered and the number of ill that could be comforted. These "Good Christians" should be ashamed of themselves for fighting this "culture war" instead of following Christ's example of helping the needy. Jesus didn't spread Jewish law; he spread God's love. Forgetting the needy and trying to control others is not the work of Christ or a good Christian but the perversion of Jesus' teachings to serve Satan. Good Christians have been mislead down an evil path by Satan going by the name of "good intentions". Good Christians help the needy; not control their neighbors by using the state to usurp God's gift of free will in the name of God. Controlling or the attempt of controlling others isn't Christian but Satanic!

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