Washington Blade - October 1, 2004
Joe Crea, jcrea@washblade.com.

Schwartz said her concern about retaliation against the city is the sole reason she opposes gay marriage legislation.

Schwartz declined to share any additional thoughts on the topic of gay marriage but said she believes same-sex couples deserve "all the rights and responsibilities" that heterosexual couples receive. She added that supporting gay marriage in the District would do more "harm" than good, adding that it is "just not going to happen in D.C."

One of her challengers in the race for the at-large seat, Statehood Green candidate Laurent Ross, echoed Schwartz's position, saying that tactically, "now is not the time to have gay marriage because we have a homophobic Congress."

But Ross added that gay marriage is "100 percent necessary" to ensure full equality under the law for gay men and lesbians. He also blasted Schwartz's support for President Bush's re-election, despite Bush's push for the Federal Marriage Amendment, which would ban gay marriage.

"I can't believe that she, who has such strong, deserved support from the gay community, cannot stand up against this divisive president," Ross said.

"She didn't have the courage to do what we know is in her heart. Politicians must draw the line at some point. Where do you draw the line - when you put gays into concentration camps? There's a movement in this country - many don't think this way - but a movement that now says marriage is for everyone. I think she's being hysterically backwards. I'm actually shocked."

Schwartz declined this week to say whether she will endorse Bush's reelection but has said in the past that she would.

"I have spoken out critically and publicly about the FMA and President Bush's support of it," said Schwartz. "In fact, I first did so at the HRC rally on March 3 and have done so - repeatedly - ever since."

Schwartz has said that she enjoys comfortable access to Republicans on Capitol Hill and does not want to compromise her lobbying influence.

Schwartz stand rankles longtime gay backers

Rick Rosendall, a former president of the Gay & Lesbian Activists Alliance, expressed continued bewilderment over Schwartz's intransigence on the issue of marital rights for gay couples, and said that Schwartz is politically inoculated from any potential congressional backlash because of her well-known pro-gay views.

"I see no reasonable chance that [a supportive position on gay marriage] would significantly worsen her standing with the anti-gay right in Congress because they don't like her positions anyway," Rosendall said.

"Our enemies say domestic partner benefits, which she supports, is the same as marriage and they are already attacking John Kerry for his nuanced position on this issue. So if you support all the stuff she does support, the fanatics on the other side of this issue will not give you a break on that."

According to Rosendall, GLAA is not currently advocating any specific gay marriage legislation for the District. While the group supports marriage rights for gays, it shares the concerns of Schwartz and Ross that any legislative advances on gay marriage in the D.C. Council would be met by a congressional backlash.

"We are not calling for specific language, we just want people to state their support on the issue," Rosendall said. "Given how pro-gay Carol already is, we want her to state her support on this issue not in connection with any bill."

Cornelius Baker, executive director of the Whitman-Walker Clinic and a longtime Schwartz friend, noted that Schwartz has held her position for a long time but said he's convinced that when the "time is right," Schwartz will support gay marriage.

"When push comes to shove and when there is a possibility that we will get this done, she will be with us," Baker said. "She is a Reform Jew. I have no doubt that she will be there with us."

Statehood Green Party candidate Laurent Ross criticized incumbent Councilmember Carol Schwartz for supporting President Bush's re-election. Ross is challenging Schwartz for one of two at-large Council seats.

Reformed Judaism, following the more liberal Reconstructionist Judiasm, has performed marriage ceremonies for same-sex couples.

Schwartz still enjoys strong support from gay Republicans.

Bryan Pruitt, president of the gay group Log Cabin Republicans of D.C., said while his group doesn't share Schwartz's opinion on gay marriage, it has worked with her on "hundreds of issues" in the District and continues to enthusiastically support her.

"She obviously has a challenge and times are tough for all Republicans, especially moderate Republicans," Pruitt said. "Good candidates that support the community are being vilified unfairly. Carol is an example of that. She has always stood with us and we're proud of her."

Carl Schmid, a gay member of the D.C. Republican Committee and a longtime Schwartz supporter, echoed Pruitt's sentiments.

"She has been there for us long before anyone else," Schmid said. "When she was on the Board of Education in the 1970s, she put through a non-harassment policy in the school system designed to protect gay people. She has been on the board of Whitman-Walker. She convinced me to support needle exchange. Her campaigns have always been full of gay people. She's been such a strong supporter, long before anyone else."

GLAA, a small group of local activists that rates District candidates, gave Schwartz a 9.5 rating on a scale of û10 to +10 based on her pro-gay voting record and positions on gay and HIV/AIDS issues. Schwartz's "continued reluctance to support marriage, although her answer clearly indicates her support for the rights of same-sex couples," prevented her from receiving a 10 rating, GLAA said in a statement.

The group also praised Schwartz for authoring and introducing the Human Rights Amendment Act of 2002, a law that makes harassment an illegal form of discrimination and GLAA also singled out her ability to lobby the U.S. Congress and others on behalf of gay rights initiatives.

Brown also opposes marriage

Schwartz is not the only D.C. Council candidate this year who does not support legalizing same-sex marriage in the city. Kwame Brown, who defeated longtime incumbent Harold Brazil in D.C.'s Democratic primary, expressed support for all gay rights issues except gay marriage.

Under the city's election law, two at-large seats are reserved for candidates not from the majority party. Schwartz holds one of those Council seats. Officially, there are four candidates running for two open at-large seats: Brown, Schwartz, Ross and independent A.D. "Tony" Dominguez.

If Brown wins one at-large seat, as expected, Schwartz will square off against Ross and Dominguez.

Dominguez did not return Blade calls seeking comment. Dominguez did not return the GLAA questionnaire in his 2002 run for an at-large Council seat and received a 0 rating as a result.

Concerns over Schwartz's position on gay marriage emerged after she appeared at a March 3 Human Rights Campaign rally for same-sex marital rights, where said she opposes gay marriage "thus far" adding that she did not regret her 2000 vote for President Bush.

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