PETITION CLOSED

  • The time period for signing this petition has ended.
Tell Rhode Island AG Candidates to Pledge to End DOMA
  1. Signatures
    430 out of 500
    Petitioning
    1. Candidate for RI Attorney General (+ 4 others)
      Petitioning
      close
      • Candidate for RI Attorney General (Joe Fernandez)
      • Candidate for RI Attorney General (Peter Kilmartin)
      • Candidate for RI Attorney General (Robert Rainville)
      • Candidate for RI Attorney General (Chris Little)
      • Candidate for RI Attorney General (Erik Wallin)
  2. Created By
    Michael Jones
    Boston, MA
About this Petition Petition Letter

In 2009, Massachusetts became the first state to sue the U.S. government over what's known as the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) -- the piece of legislation that precludes the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages. The lawsuit was brought by the current Attorney General of Massachusetts, Martha Coakley.

Since then, pressure has been mounting to get other state attorneys general to pledge to support such a lawsuit. Already, all attorney general candidates in Connecticut running for the Democratic nomination have pledged to join the legal fight against DOMA. Now, activists are turning their attention toward Rhode Island, where several candidates running for attorney general are facing pressure to join the fight against DOMA.

So far, one candidate for Rhode Island attorney general, Steve Archambault, has pledged to join the fight. But there are many others who have remained silent. It's time to email these candidates -- Joe Fernandez (D), Peter Kilmartin (D), Robert Rainville (D), Chris Little (Moderate Party), and Erik Wallin (R) -- and get them to pledge to support the DOMA lawsuit.

Overturning DOMA is going to take a coordinated effort. One plank in that effort is getting state attorneys general to agree that DOMA discriminates against a state's gay and lesbian population, and should be struck down by a federal court.

 

Recent Signatures

Pledge Your Support to End the Defense of Marriage Act

Greetings,

As candidates for attorney general in the state of Rhode Island, you have a unique opportunity to weigh in on one of the most important issues facing the gay and lesbian community -- the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). Last year, the state of Massachusetts, led by their Attorney General, Martha Coakley, filed a federal lawsuit charging that DOMA negatively impacted the gay and lesbian residents of Massachusetts, and was unconstitutional.

Already, candidates for attorney general in Connecticut have pledged to support this historic lawsuit. They rightly asserted that same-sex couples ought to be allowed the benefits of marriage under federal law.

If you agree, your support for this lawsuit would be tremendously helpful, taking us one step closer to eliminating DOMA. Rhode Island already recognizes same-sex marriages performed in other states. This is great news; now the next step is getting these couples recognized by the federal government, so that they can receive the same benefits that heterosexual couples receive -- almost 1,100 benefits in total -- by the government.

Please pledge to support the Massachusetts DOMA lawsuit. Your voice is critical toward achieving equality for your state's, not to mention the nation's, gay and lesbian population.

[Your name]

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