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Photo: Boehner With NY's First Gay Congressman, His Husband And Their Cute Kids
By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 5, 2013
Modified Jan 5, 2013
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By
Jen Chung
Published Jan 5, 2013
Modified Jan 5, 2013
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Oh, irony! Buzzfeed noticed that House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) met "two new gay Congressional spouses" at the swearing-in ceremonies of Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wisconsin) and NY's first gay Congressman, Rep. Sean Maloney, who represents the lower Hudson Valley. Maloney's husband Randy Florke and two children were on hand, too! How ironic, since just the day before, Boehner reiterated his anti-gay marriage stance.
ABC News reports, "Today, House Republicans included DOMA language in the Opening Day Rules package authorizing the continued use of taxpayer funds. The proposed language reads: 'The Bipartisan Legal advisory Group continues to speak for, and articulate the institutional position of , the House in all litigation matters in which it appears, including in Windsor v. United States.'" Boehner's spokesman said, "We continue to believe the constitutionality of the [Defense of Marriage Act] should be judged by the court, not the president unilaterally-and will provide the resources needed to protect our system of checks and balances."
As for Maloney, he described how his 10-year-old daughter Essie was so "overwhelmed" by the excitement (and heat) that she felt sick, telling the Wall Street Journal, "I was sure she was going to throw up under the press gallery and that would be the story of my first day in Congress. Instead, we made it just into the women’s room right here. Was my first trip to the women’s room on the House floor. Probably my last." He added, "For me, it’s a good reminder that you can go to Congress but your kids are still going to get sick. You still have to balance your life and your work.”
Tagged
defense of marriage act
doma
gay marriage
john boehner
same sex marriage
sean maloney
sean patrick maloney
Jen Chung
Jen Chung is a former WNYC and Gothamist editor.
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