$20 million has been poured into the fight to ban gay marriage in California, and it's no surprise that the usual parade of national wingnuts are providing the bulk of the money towards the effort to make Ellen's marriage null and void.
But, the big money has come from out-of-state groups such as Connecticut-based Knights of Columbus ($1.275 million), a Catholic men's organization; the National Organization for Marriage ($921,000); Mississippi-based American Family Association ($500,000); and Colorado-based Focus on the Family ($414,000), whose chairman is James Dobson, the evangelical Christian whose syndicated radio show is heard by millions.
Wealthy and well-connected individuals have pitched in. Elsa Prince, the matriarch of a powerful Michigan Republican family, donated $250,000 to the Yes on 8 campaign. She's the mother of Eric Prince, the co-founder of Blackwater Worldwide — the controversial private military and security contractor — and of Betsy DeVos, the Republican activist whose family has contributed millions to conservative causes.
A recent poll from the Public Policy Institute of California shows the measure going down to defeat 54%-40%. Looks like the Prince family will just have to find another place where they can try to buy an election. Those Bush tax cuts for the wealthy don't just spend themselves, you know.
In other Prince/DeVos news, scientists are worried about yet another super-collider black hole forming in Ada, Michigan on September 30th. What will happen when these two get together in one room?
On Sept. 30, President Bush is booking a private fundraiser at the Ada Township home of 2006 GOP gubernatorial candidate Dick DeVos, Republican leaders said. The cash is pegged for the National Republican Congressional Committee, which is trying to stave off Democratic efforts to increase their majority in the U.S. House.
U.S. Rep. Pete Hoekstra confirmed the Bush event, which is expected to be closed to the public. It is not known if the president will schedule a public appearance during his visit.
You mean we can't all go over to Dick's house to watch the end of the world? Shucks. And here I was trying to decide what to wear.