When No on 8
campaign director Patrick Guerriero urged LGBT Americans
that we have to match the opposition dollar for dollar if we
want to win at the polls in November, people sat up
and took notice. In the last 24 hours No on 8 has
managed to raise more than $2.25 million, due to a trio
of sizable donations.
Early this
morning The Advocatereported
a half-million-dollar donation from real estate tycoon
and Hollywood producer Steve Bing, marking the largest
non-LGBT gift to the campaign.
A hour later the
Human Rights Campaign announced it was contributing
$750,000, bringing the HRC's total contribution to
Equality for All to $3 million. This latest donation
was made thanks in part to an incentive gift of
$120,000 from longtime marriage equality champions Tom
Bombardier and John Fowler.
And the
California Teachers Association Issues poltical action
committee, which in July donated $250,000 to No on 8,
upped their support for marriage equality yesterday by
$1 million. The previous donation sent Yes on 8
activists into a blogging frenzy.
In addition to
the major donations, several smaller donations in and
around the entertainment community have poured in over the
past few days. Will & Grace star Eric
McCormack and Desperate Housewives' Dana
Delany each wrote checks for $5,000.
Today,
Manhunt.net co-owners Larry Basile and Jonathan Crutchley
donated a combined $10,000 -- Crutchley came under
attack by gay blogger Andy Towle for donating the
maximum amount allowed by law, $2,300, to presidential
candidate John McCain.
The recent influx
of donations beings the amount of money raised by No on
8 significantly closer to matching money raised by the
opposition. As recently as last week, Yes on 8 was
outraising No on 8 by a 3-to-2 ratio, according to
Equality California.
During
yesterday's conference call with LGBT media,
Guerriero said he expected to see several major
donations over the next few days. (Ross von Metzke,
The Advocate)
