Stonewall interviews candidates
Stonewall Democrats interviews candidates for Dallas City Council and mayor from 8:30 a.m.–4 p.m. on March 7 at Sue Ellen’s, 3014 Throckmorton St.
All members in good standing 30 days prior to this event are invited to participate in candidate interviews and vote on endorsements. Others may join the organization and meet the candidates.
Lunch and spirited discussion will be provided.
Same-sex marriage rabbi does Texas House invocation
Rabbi Kerry Baker did the invocation in the Texas House of Representatives on Wednesday, Feb. 25. In his morning prayer, he advised legislators to treat everyone equally and watch out for those who are marginalized.
“It’s not enough to do what is good for the majority, but to do what is good for all of us,” Baker said.
Baker is the rabbi who performed the first legal same-sex wedding in Texas last week after a court ruled Sarah Goodfriend and Suzanne Bryant (see p. 11) should be issued a marriage license in Travis County.
Goodfriend works in the office of Rep. Celia Israel, but Baker lives in fellow Austinite Rep. Elliot Naishtat’s office. House members normally invite clergy who live in their own districts, so it was Naishtat who invited Baker to deliver the prayer.
DIFFA celebrates 25 years
DIFFA/Dallas celebrates the 25th anniversary of its House of DIFFA black tie fundraiser benefitting numerous North Texas AIDS service organizations. Silent/live auction, seated dinner and fashion runway show begins at 6 p.m. on March 7 at the Omni Hotel Downtown Dallas, 555 S. Lamar St.
One of the largest, oldest and most successful fundraising organizations aiding HIV/AIDS, DIFFA has chapters in Dallas, New York City, Chicago, Kansas City, San Francisco and Seattle. DIFFA/Dallas has granted more than $6 million to over 25 front line HIV/AIDS Service Organizations in North Texas.
Ticket prices vary and are available at Bit.ly/1ID2U2Y. Info at Diffadallas.org.
Let them eat cake
Freshman Rep. Mark Keough, R-The Woodlands, served cake at the state Capitol this week to celebrate the “10th anniversary of 2005 Marriage Act” after a busy day of lobbying with the Texas Faith and Family Day sponsored by numerous anti-LGBT groups, including Texas Values, Texas Eagle Forum and Texans for Fiscal Responsibility.
Keough was celebrating the amendment that was declared unconstitutional in Feb. 2014 and whose fate is currently awaiting an opinion of the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals, which heard the case in January 2015.
He later joined other legislators in cutting another larger cake, including Rep. Cecil Bell, R-Magnolia, Sen. Donna Campbell, R-New Braunfels, and Lt. Gov Dan Patrick. Gov. Greg Abbott spoke at an earlier rally.
“Regardless of your politics,” tweeted one person, “I 100% support offering free cake to your constituents. #FreeSpeech #txlege”
Tony Tinderholt
Legislator files complaint against marriage equality judge
Rep. Tony Tinderholt, R-Arlington, filed a complaint against District Judge David Wahlberg who permitted a Travis County couple to wed last week.
In his complaint, Tinderholt believes “Wahlberg failed to give notice to the office of Attorney General of Texas which is required by statutory law under government code … Constitutional challenge by a judge requires notice and must wait until 45 days after to enter final judgment.”
“This judge deliberately violated statutory law and this is unacceptable,” Tinderholt told the Chronicle. “This complaint and any action, which the legislature decides to take, is about ensuring that our judicial system respects the laws of our state and respects the separation of powers. Judge Wahlberg allowed his personal views to dictate his action and ignored state law to accomplish his desired outcome.”
The freshman Arlington legislator defeated Diane Patrick of Arlington in a contentious GOP primary last year.
This article appeared in the Dallas Voice print edition February 27, 2015.