FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: February 17, 2012
Contact: Anath Hartmann or Elizabeth Ray (703-683-5004)

“The people of Maryland will decide this issue if they have to, just as voters
in 31 other states have done.”—Brian Brown, NOM President

Washington, DC—The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) today called on the Maryland Senate to reject legislation passed by the Assembly to redefine marriage and pledged to work with allies in Maryland to qualify a referendum to the ballot giving voters the right to overturn redefining marriage if necessary.

“The people of Maryland do not support same-sex marriage,” said Brian Brown, NOM’s president. “We call on the Maryland Senate to reject this legislation. Failing that, we are committed to work with allies to ensure that the people of Maryland will decide this issue just as voters in 31 other states have done, which is to preserve marriage as the union of one man and one woman.”

Voters in 31 states have already voted on the definition of marriage, and in every state they have decided to preserve marriage as the union of one man and one woman. This includes deep blue states like California, Wisconsin and Maine.

“Legislators who vote to redefine marriage will be held accountable to their constituents,” Brown pledged. “Those Republicans in the Assembly who abandoned principle and traded their votes will be held to account. Upwards of 80% of Republican voters oppose same-sex marriage. Democrats, too, will have to answer to their constituents, including the upwards of 70% of African Americans who oppose redefining marriage.”

NOM and allies will continue to oppose the legislation as it heads to the Senate. Should legislation redefining marriage be signed, supporters of traditional marriage would need to collect approximately 56,000 signatures of registered voters to prevent it from taking effect until voters decide the issue at the November 2012 statewide election.

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To schedule an interview with Brian Brown, President of the National Organization for Marriage, please contact Elizabeth Ray (x130), [email protected], or Anath Hartmann,[email protected], at 703-683-5004.

Paid for by The National Organization for Marriage, Brian Brown, President. 2029 K Street NW, Suite 300 Washington, DC 20006, not authorized by any candidate or candidate's committee. New § 68A.405(1)(f) & (h).