Gay marriage: Ousted GOP insider Brodkorb say amendment more about votes than family values
Ousted Senate Republican insider Michael Brodkorb, who broke his almost 10-month-long silence this week, said GOP leaders put a gay marriage ban on the ballot this fall not to protect family values but to drive social conservatives to the polls.
The former chief spokesman for the Senate GOP was fired last December after he had an affair with the party's then-majority leader Amy Koch. Brodkorb has since sued the state, Senate and others for discrimination and defamation, claiming he was treated differently than female staffers who had affairs with male legislators.
In an interview with the Pioneer Press on Tuesday, Oct. 16, Brodkorb said when Republicans took control of the Legislature two years ago, leaders discussed how ensure high conservative turnout in 2012 so they could hold on the majority. They knew any Republican presidential candidate would have a tough time in Minnesota. And they weren't optimistic that any challenger to U.S. Sen. Amy Klobuchar could energize their base.
Supporters of the amendment deny Brodkorb's claims, arguing its been in the works since 2004.
http://www.twincities.com/ci_21785537/gay-marriage-ousted-gop-insider-brodkorb-say-amendment
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