Centre County rep celebrates gay son’s marriage after voting ‘no’ to same-sex marriage: report
A lawmaker who represents Centre County in Washington reportedly attended his gay son’s wedding last week after joining more than 150 Republicans in voting against a House bill that would federally protect the right to same-sex marriage.
On Monday, the son of U.S. Rep. Glenn Thompson, R-Howard, confirmed to NBC News that he was married on Friday with his father in attendance. Maddison Stone, Thompson’s press secretary, also confirmed Thompson’s attendance to NBC News.
“Congressman and Mrs. Thompson were thrilled to attend and celebrate their son’s marriage on Friday night as he began this new chapter in his life,” Stone told NBC News in an email. She added that the Thompsons were “very happy” to welcome their new son-in-law.
Thompson was one of 157 House Republicans who voted against the Respect for Marriage Act, which would protect same-sex marriage rights established by the U.S. Supreme Court under the 14th Amendment in its 2015 ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges. U.S. Rep. Fred Keller, R-Kreamer, also voted against the bill, which passed 267-157 with the support of 47 Republicans.
In an emailed statement to the Centre Daily Times last week, Thompson’s press secretary called the bill “a messaging stunt” for Democrats.
“This bill was nothing more than an election-year messaging stunt for Democrats in Congress who have failed to address historic inflation and out-of-control prices at gas pumps and grocery stores,” Stone said.
Following an unrelated press conference at University Park on Tuesday, Gov. Tom Wolf was asked about Thompson voting against the Respect for Marriage Act, despite attending his son’s wedding.
“I’m just very happy for his son and, apparently, his son found the love of his life. And that’s a wonderful thing that now people are able to do in the United States,” he said.
The Respect for Marriage Act is now under the consideration of the Senate, where 10 Republican lawmakers would need to join all 50 Democrats to advance it to President Joe Biden’s desk. At least five Republican senators have already pledged to support the bill, according to NBC News.
Lawmakers introduced the Respect for Marriage Act this summer after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark ruling that once established constitutional protections for abortion across the country. In an opinion concurring with the court’s reversal, Justice Clarence Thomas suggested other similar cases, including Obergefell, should be reconsidered.
Notably, no other justices signed Thomas’s opinion. Justice Samuel Alito, who penned the court’s majority opinion, said “nothing in this opinion should be understood to cast doubt on precedents that do not concern abortion.”
If the Supreme Court did revisit and overturn Obergefell, same-sex marriages would become illegal in at least 25 states, according to PolitiFact. Those unions would likely become illegal in seven others, too.
This story was originally published July 26, 2022 at 10:41 AM.
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