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Gingrich signs NOM’s anti-gay marriage pledge

GOP hopeful enjoys front-runner status while making anti-gay commitments

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Newt Gingrich, Republican Party, gay news, Washington Blade

Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich (Blade file photo by Michael Key)

Republican presidential candidate Newt Gingrich has penned his name to an anti-gay marriage pledge committing him to back a U.S. constitutional amendment against same-sex marriage and defend the Defense of Marriage Act in court.

In a statement Thursday, the anti-gay National Organization for Marriage, the group behind the pledge, announced Gingrich had joined other Republican hopefuls in signing the document.

Brian Brown, NOM’s president, crowed over securing the former U.S. House speaker’s name to the pledge.

“We commend Newt Gingrich for signing NOM’s presidential marriage pledge, committing himself to play a leadership role as president to preserve marriage as the union of one man and one woman,” Brown said.

By signing the document, Gingrich promises upon election as president to undertake several initiatives against same-sex marriage:

• supporting congressional passage and sending to the states a U.S. constitutional amendment that would ban same-sex marriage throughout the country;

• defending in court the Defense of Marriage of Act, a 1996 law that prohibits federal recognition of same-sex marriage;

• appointing judges and a U.S. attorney general who “will respect the original meaning” of the U.S. Constitution;

• supporting legislation allowing D.C. residents to vote on whether or not to abrogate the District’s same-sex marriage law;

• and appointing a presidential commission on “religious liberty.”

Other GOP candidates — former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum — already penned their names to the pledge when NOM first announced it in August. Texas Gov. Rick Perry signed the document later in August after he entered the presidential race.

Notably, when the other presidential candidates signed their names to the pledge, the purpose of the proposed presidential commission was to “appoint a presidential commission to investigate harassment of traditional marriage supporters.” But with the announcement of Gingrich signing his name to the pledge, the pledge has been changed to establishing “a presidential commission on religious liberty.” NOM didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on why the change was made.

Joe Solmonese, president of the Human Rights Campaign, in a statement criticized Gingrich for aligning himself with NOM and said signing the document puts the candidate “on the wrong side of history.”

“Newt Gingrich’s signature to the NOM marriage pledge is just the latest indicator of how beholden the GOP presidential candidates are to anti-gay groups,” Solmonese said. “The tenets of the NOM pledge are rooted in hatred against LGBT Americans – by signing it, Gingrich and his fellow candidates are distancing themselves from mainstream opinion and taking an astonishingly extremist stance.”

The Gingrich campaign couldn’t be reached for comment on why he decided to sign the pledge.

Signing the NOM pledge is perhaps Gingrich’s strongest statement against marriage rights for gay couples since his candidacy began, but the former House speaker has long been an opponent of such rights. During his tenure as House speaker in the 1990s, Gingrich helped shepherd DOMA through Congress.

Gingrich has been in favor of a Federal Marriage Amendment since at least last year when U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker struck down California’s Proposition 8 as unconstitutional. At the time Gingrich called on Congress “to reaffirm marriage as a union of one man and one woman as our national policy.” He has also been critical of Obama’s decision to drop the defense of the Defense of Marriage Act in court.

Just this week, Gingrich sent a letter to the FAMiLY LEADER, an anti-gay group in Iowa, affirming the mission of the organization and pledging to defend DOMA in court and support a Federal Marriage Amendment. In the same letter, he promises to remain faithful to his wife. He’s admitted to committing adultery before.

The letter was in response to the FAMiLY LEADER’s 14-point document known as “THE MARRIAGE VOW: A Declaration of Dependence upon MARRIAGE and FAMILY.” Bachmann, Santorum and Perry have signed the vow. Gingrich said he supports the group’s mission with his letter, but didn’t actually sign the pledge.

Gingrich had initially declined to sign the document, saying some of the language was problematic. The pledge makes a reference to Sharia law and reportedly initially stated children born into slavery in the 1860s were more likely to be raised by two parents than a black child born today. The slavery reference has since been removed.

During an interview Thursday with the Des Moines Register, Gingrich said he would sign legislation reinstating “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” He also said he believes being gay is a combination of “genetics and environment,” adding people have a “significant range of choice within a genetic pattern.” Asked whether being straight is a choice, Gingrich said, “Look, people choose to be celibate, people choose many things in life.”

Jerame Davis, interim executive director for the National Stonewall Democrats, said Gingrich committing himself to defend marriage is “about the same as Cookie Monster pledging to protect the cookie jar.”

“He certainly has a lot of experience with marriage with three under his belt now, but that does not make him an expert on the subject,” Davis said. “It’s the height of hypocrisy for someone with his marital history to pledge to deny marriage equality to loving gay and lesbian couples.”

Gingrich makes these anti-gay commitments as he continues to enjoy front-runner status among the candidates seeking the Republican nomination to run for the White House. According to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll published Wednesday, Gingrich leads Romney among Republican voters nationwide by 28 percent to 18 percent.

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Arizona

Shooting outside gay bar in Ariz. leaves three dead

Tucson police investigating double murder-suicide as a hate crime

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The shooting happened outside Venture-N bar in Tucson, Ariz. (Washington Blade photo by Michael K. Lavers)

Three people were fatally shot outside a gay bar in Tucson, Ariz., early Monday morning, about a mile from the city’s nightlife district.

Police have said the shooting, which took place in the parking lot of Venture-N bar at 1239 N. 6th Ave., was likely a hate crime and a double murder-suicide following a verbal altercation.

The suspect, Ousman Ceesay, allegedly shot Vincent Anthony Siqueiros and Cameron Davis Capara while they were outside the club around 12:30 a.m. Monday.

Reports show Capara and Siqueiros were pronounced dead at the scene. Ceesay died after being taken to a local hospital with gunshot wounds.

Police have also said that Ceesay was carrying a list of LGBTQ businesses at the time of the shooting.

Arizona Public Media has said police are investigating the case as a hate crime because the suspect was carrying a note containing the names of multiple LGBTQ-associated businesses.

“I am deeply saddened that another senseless loss of life has happened in our community,” Tucson Police Chief Monica Prieto said in a statement. “Bias-based crimes are especially heinous and have no place in our community.”

According to Prieto, there is no imminent threat to the community, and the Tucson Police Department is working to provide extra protection to various LGBTQ businesses across town.

Congresswoman Adelita Grijalva, who represents the area, issued a statement condemning the act of violence, which appears to have been at least in part motivated by homophobia.

“I am disgusted and deeply saddened to learn of a targeted act of hate and the cold-blooded murder of two members of our LGBTQIA+ community, Vincent Siqueiros and Cameron Capara, at the Venture-N bar in Tucson last night. This horrific attack is a painful reminder that even in welcoming communities like Tucson, hate and violence against the LGBTQIA+ community still exist.”

“When that hate is combined with easy access to firearms, the consequences can be deadly. I am sick and tired of Congress refusing to lift a finger to protect our communities while, every day, dozens of people are shot and killed across the country. It does not have to be this way. The House of Representatives is returning to session this week, and our first action should be passing common-sense gun safety reforms that we know can save lives.”

Other federal lawmakers also condemned the shooting.

The Congressional Equality Caucus, which is made up of federal legislators advancing LGBTQ interests, issued a statement after news broke.

“Our hearts are with the friends and loved ones of the victims of this devastating attack outside a Tucson gay bar and with the Tucson LGBTQI+ community,” it said on X. “No one should fear violence because of who they are — and we’re going to continue fighting to build a world where no one does.”

The Human Rights Campaign, the largest LGBTQ organization in the country, released a statement following the shooting.

“We are heartbroken by the loss of Vincent Anthony Siqueiros and Cameron Davis Capara and our hearts are with their families, loved ones, and the entire Tucson LGBTQ+ community. Once again, we are reminded that gun violence robs people of their lives, destroys families, and devastates communities.”

A candlelight vigil honoring the victims is planned for Sept. 2 at 6:30 p.m. at Catalina Park in North Tucson.

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Congress

HRC president campaigns for Chris Pappas in NH

Gay congressman running to succeed retiring U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen

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Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson, left, campaigns with U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) in Manchester, N.H., on Aug. 30, 2026. (Photo courtesy of the Human Rights Campaign)

Human Rights Campaign President Kelley Robinson on Sunday campaigned for U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas (D-N.H.) in New Hampshire.

Robinson traveled to Manchester, the state’s largest city, nine days before the Sept. 8 primary that will determine who will vie for retiring U.S. Sen. Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.)’s seat.

Former U.S. Sen. John E. Sununu, who represented New Hampshire in the U.S. Senate from 2003-2009, will face off against former U.S. Sen. Scott Brown, who represented Massachusetts in the U.S. Senate from 2010-2013, in the Republican primary.

Karishma Manzur is among the Democrats challenging Pappas.

A poll the University of New Hampshire Survey Center released on Aug. 26 shows Sununu is ahead of Brown. The same survey shows Pappas ahead of Manzur and his other Democratic challengers.

The UNH Survey Center poll shows Sununu ahead of Pappas by a 45-43 percent margin if they were to face off in the general election. The margin of error is +/-2.1 percent.

Pappas would become the first openly gay man elected to the U.S. Senate if he were to win in November.

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National

Milo Yiannopoulos deported to UK

ICE arrested far-right provocateur in New Orleans on Thursday

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Milo Yiannopoulos (Photo via Homeland Security @DHSgov/X account)

Editor’s note: The Department of Homeland Security on Saturday said Milo Yiannopoulos has been deported to the U.K.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement on Thursday arrested far-right provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos.

A DHS spokesperson in a statement sent to the Washington Blade said ICE arrested Yiannopoulos, who they described as “an illegal alien from the United Kingdom,” at Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport.

The DHS spokesperson said Yiannopoulos “legally entered the country” in New York on May 14, 2019.

“He chose to overstay his welcome in violation of our nation’s laws,” said the spokesperson.

The DHS spokesperson said an immigration judge on July 22 “issued a final order of removal” for Yiannopoulos “after failing to show up for his immigration hearing.” The Times-Picayune newspaper in New Orleans on Friday reported Yiannopoulos is being held at an ICE detention center in Alexandria, La., which is about 200 miles northwest of the Crescent City.

“He will remain in ICE custody pending removal,” said the DHS spokesperson.

Yiannopoulos has, among other things, repeatedly targeted transgender people and Muslims.

The American Conservative Union, which organizes the annual Conversative Political Action Conference, in 2017 disinvited Yiannopoulos from speaking at that year’s CPAC after a video in which he appeared to condone sex between adults and underage boys emerged. Yiannopoulos subsequently resigned from Breitbart News, a far-right news website, where he had been a senior editor.

Yiannopoulos later that year married his boyfriend in Hawaii. The far-right provocateur in 2021 claimed he was an “ex-gay.”

The Australian government in 2019 banned Yiannopoulos from entering the country “on character grounds.” Yiannopoulos was also banned from Facebook, Twitter (now X), and other social media platforms.

Milo Yiannopoulos speaks at a “Gays for Trump” event during the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland. (Washington Blade file photo by Michael Key)

The Times-Picayune reported Yiannopoulos “most recently worked for” Ye, formerly known as Kanye West.

The controversial rapper is scheduled to perform in New Orleans on Friday.

Laura Loomer, a far-right conspiracy theorist who is close to President Donald Trump, has called for Yiannopoulos’s deportation. Loomer on Friday wrote on X that she “reported him to ICE and the FBI” after he “called for me to be assassinated.”

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