Columbus Dispatch: [Mayor] Coleman didn't sign on to Freedom to Marry

 

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Coleman didn't sign on to Freedom to Marry

By: Doug Caruso

The Columbus Dispatch - January 31, 2012 13:01 PM

There's been a lot of confusion about whether Mayor Michael B. Coleman signed on with a group called Freedom to Marry along with mayors who support laws that give gay couples the same right to marry as straight couples.

The short answer: He didn't.

Here's what happened:

Coleman's name appeared on the  group's website on Jan. 20 as a sponsor. That afternoon, I talked to Jo Deutsch, who is handling the campaign, and she said that it appeared that Napoleon Bell, who is Coleman's community relations director, had filled out a web form on behalf of the mayor, committing him to the cause. Meanwhile, Dan Williamson, the mayor's spokesman, said he knew nothing about it.

The mayor was in Washington D.C., for the U.S. Conference of Mayors, where Freedom to Marry had held a press conference with mayors who support them. Coleman didn't attend. I didn't write about it because I wanted confirmation from the Coleman administration that he'd signed on before I said that he'd done it.

That never came.

Today, Equality Ohio issued a press release listing the Ohio mayors who signed on to Freedom to Marry's campaign. Coleman wasn't on the list, so I called Williamson again.

Coleman, Williamson said, last took up the issue of marriage equality when he ran for governor in 2004. He said he was in favor of civil unions with the same rights as traditional marriage and that's still his position. But he said Coleman told him, "This is an issue I'm giving more thought to. I'm thinking about expanding my position, but I haven't done so yet."

With a lot of questions circulating about the Mayor's position on Twitter and Facebook, Williamson said, there have also been plenty of people sending messages to Coleman urging him to support marriage equality.

Williamson said has no idea who filled out the open web form on Freedom to Marry's website in Coleman's and Bell's name. Bell has said he did not do it. Williamson said he talked to Deutsch, who removed Coleman from the list and was apologetic, though she told Williamson that she hopes she'll get another call soon so she can add Coleman back on.