Mayors set aside resolution opposing federal gay marriage ban

A deeply divided gathering of the nation's mayors was unable to reach consensus Monday on a proposed resolution opposing a federal constitutional ban on gay marriage. The U.S. Conference of Mayors voted 46-44 to table the resolution, with opponents arguing that the organization should send forth resolutions on which there is widespread agreement. An attempt to revive the resolution was also defeated by a mere two votes, 47-45. Stamford, Conn., mayor Dannel Malloy, a Democrat running for governor in his state, said that he suspected that the Federal Marriage Amendment is an issue that mayors don't want to deal with right now, with many facing election this fall. He said he opposes the constitutional amendment and voted against the motion to table the resolution. The close votes, he said, also indicate that "there is no broad-based support in the nation to amend the Constitution of the United States to discriminate." Ed Henderson, mayor of Napa, Calif., called the mayors' nondecision "a wimpy thing to do.... I think it's dodging the issue." The resolution was cosponsored by Boston mayor Thomas Menino, San Francisco mayor Gavin Newsom, and Chicago mayor Richard Daley and passed unanimously by a conference committee on Saturday.