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ACLU Hires Ex-McCain Strategist Steve Schmidt To Move GOP On Gay Marriage [View all]
ACLU Hires Ex-McCain Strategist Steve Schmidt To Move GOP On Gay Marriage
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) announced Wednesday that it's hiring Steve Schmidt, a former top strategist on Sen. John McCain's (R-AZ) 2008 presidential campaign, to help shift the Republican Party's attitude on marriage equality.
In a statement announcing the hire, the ACLU said that Schmidt's role will be "to help spearhead the campaign to strike down state-based laws prohibiting same-sex marriage."
Schmidt is currently an analyst for MSNBC.
http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/aclu-hires-ex-mccain-strategist-steve-schmidt-to
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) announced Wednesday that it's hiring Steve Schmidt, a former top strategist on Sen. John McCain's (R-AZ) 2008 presidential campaign, to help shift the Republican Party's attitude on marriage equality.
In a statement announcing the hire, the ACLU said that Schmidt's role will be "to help spearhead the campaign to strike down state-based laws prohibiting same-sex marriage."
Schmidt is currently an analyst for MSNBC.
http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/aclu-hires-ex-mccain-strategist-steve-schmidt-to
From the ACLU statement:
<...>
With the goal of working both with and within the Republican Party, the ACLU has hired Steve Schmidt, vice chairman of public affairs at Edelman. Schmidt has provided strategic counsel to Fortune 500 companies, professional sports teams, and nonprofits. Previously, he has worked on Capitol Hill as the communications director for the National Republican Congressional Committee, served as one of the top strategists during President Bush's 2004 re-election and as a deputy assistant to President George W. Bush. Schmidt also directed strategic communications for the nomination of Chief Justice Roberts and led the nomination of Justice Alito. In 2006, he was campaign manager for the re-election of California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and served as the senior advisor to Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign.
Schmidt's role will be to help spearhead the campaign to strike down state-based laws prohibiting same-sex marriage. The campaign will, over the next four years, challenge legislative and constitutional provisions in states such as Illinois, Oregon, Hawaii, Montana, and others. The ACLU aims to spend roughly $10 million through 2016 and will officially announce the initiative with an ad in tomorrow's edition of The Wall Street Journal.
As part of the broad-based effort to involve conservatives in the movement to encourage the freedom to marry, the ACLU has hired conservative strategist Jimmy LaSalvia. LaSalvia is the founder and former executive director of GOProud and will work with the ACLU to do outreach to gay conservatives, particularly within the Tea Party.
"The Republican party stands for freedom, for limited government intrusion in our personal lives and for freedom," said Schmidt. "The issue of marriage equality is the Republican Party’s best chance to stand on the right side of history, create a meaningful legacy of fairness, and maintain relevance with young voters. I am proud to help the ACLU make all couples equal in the eyes of the law in all 50 states."
<...>
http://www.aclu.org/lgbt-rights/aclu-hires-steve-schmidt-bring-republicans-same-sex-marriage-push
With the goal of working both with and within the Republican Party, the ACLU has hired Steve Schmidt, vice chairman of public affairs at Edelman. Schmidt has provided strategic counsel to Fortune 500 companies, professional sports teams, and nonprofits. Previously, he has worked on Capitol Hill as the communications director for the National Republican Congressional Committee, served as one of the top strategists during President Bush's 2004 re-election and as a deputy assistant to President George W. Bush. Schmidt also directed strategic communications for the nomination of Chief Justice Roberts and led the nomination of Justice Alito. In 2006, he was campaign manager for the re-election of California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and served as the senior advisor to Sen. John McCain's presidential campaign.
Schmidt's role will be to help spearhead the campaign to strike down state-based laws prohibiting same-sex marriage. The campaign will, over the next four years, challenge legislative and constitutional provisions in states such as Illinois, Oregon, Hawaii, Montana, and others. The ACLU aims to spend roughly $10 million through 2016 and will officially announce the initiative with an ad in tomorrow's edition of The Wall Street Journal.
As part of the broad-based effort to involve conservatives in the movement to encourage the freedom to marry, the ACLU has hired conservative strategist Jimmy LaSalvia. LaSalvia is the founder and former executive director of GOProud and will work with the ACLU to do outreach to gay conservatives, particularly within the Tea Party.
"The Republican party stands for freedom, for limited government intrusion in our personal lives and for freedom," said Schmidt. "The issue of marriage equality is the Republican Party’s best chance to stand on the right side of history, create a meaningful legacy of fairness, and maintain relevance with young voters. I am proud to help the ACLU make all couples equal in the eyes of the law in all 50 states."
<...>
http://www.aclu.org/lgbt-rights/aclu-hires-steve-schmidt-bring-republicans-same-sex-marriage-push
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