2A
north- at 15
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
MONDAY, APRIL 29, 2013
PAGE 3A
e
ING/KANSAN
er Student
and hire
ion
NATIONAL
aste cat materials
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Republicans begin to endorse gay marriage
ST. PAUL, Minn. — A national group of prominent GOP donors that supports gay marriage is pouring new money into lobbying efforts to get Republican lawmakers to vote to make it legal.
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Minnesota Gov. Mark Dayton tells hundreds who turned out to rally at the Capitol in St. Paul, Minn. in support of a bill to legalize marriage that the hoped legislators will pass this year.
Its founders are launching a new lobbying organization, American Unity Fund, and already have spent more than $250,000 in Minnesota, where the Leg-
American Unity PAC was formed last year to lend financial support to Republicans who bucked the party's longstanding opposition to gay marriage.
"There are legislators out there that are struggling with this."
who really want to see the party embrace the freedom to marry, and believe it's not only the right thing for the country but also good politics," Cook-McCormac said.
islature could vote on the issue as early as next week.
In Minnesota, the money has gone to state groups that are lobbying Republican lawmakers and for polling on gay marriage in a handful of suburban districts held by Republicans. So far, only one Minnesota Republican lawmaker has committed to voting
GARL KUHL
Former political aide
The group has spent $500,000 on lobbying since last month, including efforts in Rhode Island, Delaware, Indiana, West Virginia and Utah.
Billionaire hedge fund manager and Republican donor Paul Singer launched American Unity PAC. The lobbying effort is the next phase as the push for gay marriage spreads to more states, spokesman Jeff Cook-McCormac told The Associated Press.
"What you have is this network of influential Republicans
"I think there will be some more. There are legislators out there that are struggling with this," said Carl
Kuhl, a former political aide to former GOP Sen. Norm Coleman and Republican gubernatorial candidate Tom Emmer. Kuhl's public affairs firm is contracted by Minnesotaans United, the lead lobby group for gay marriage in Minnesota and main recipient of American Unity's Minnesota spending.
to legalize gay marriage. Sen.
Branden Petersen, of Andover.
Gay marriage's fate in Minnesota may rest with the House, where support is seen as shakier than in the Senate. A handful of votes from Republicans could put it over the top. Nearly two dozen House Republicans represent more socially moderate suburbs and might be candidates to vote yes.
House Speaker Paul Thissen, DFL-Minneapolis, said he has encouraged advocates of the marriage bill to round up Republican votes, if nothing else than to send a message to Minnesota residents that it's not a partisan proposition. But that will be politically risky; the main opposition group to same-sex marriage, Minnesota for Marriage, has said it will seek consequences for Republicans who stray on gay marriage.
Part of American Unity PAC's original mission was to spend money on behalf of Republican gay marriage supporters. Many GOP lawmakers have faced primary challenges funded in part by anti-gay marriage groups such as the National Organization for Marriage, which argue that the lawmakers had betrayed the party's core principles.
Since forming the lobby group last month, American Unity also
spent money to win over Republican lawmakers in Rhode Island, where last week all five Republicans in the state Senate jumped on the gay marriage bandwagon. Rhode Island is on track to legalize gay marriage by next week, which would make it the 11th U.S. state where gay marriage is legal.
There are also plans to lobby federal lawmakers on gay rights issues.
LEGISLATION
Higher education awaits decision on funding
TOPEKA — Kansas higher education officials are depending upon Republican Gov. Sam Brownback's political mojo working on fellow GOP conservatives on tax issues to preserve existing state funding for public universities and colleges.
Brownback began touring university and community college campuses
The governor and other Republicans want to position Kansas to phase out individual income taxes, but the state must stabilize its budget over the next few years. Brown-back proposes to cancel a decrease in the sales tax scheduled by law for
last week in what his administration described as an effort to highlight the importance of higher education to the state and its economy. The tour came after university presidents warned the Kansas Board of Regents that budget cuts being considered by legislators could endanger crucial initiatives.
Legislators are taking their annual spring break and plan to reconvene
May 8 to finish their business for the year. Tax issues are linked to the campaign to prevent cuts in higher education spending.
July, and if lawmakers don't agree to that plan, they'll find it difficult — and perhaps impossible — to follow his recommendation to preserve existing higher education spending.
The Republican-dominated Legislature appears headed toward cutting higher education, with some GOP lawmakers suggesting the regents and university officials haven't been held accountable to the
public. But much depends on how legislators resolve tax issues.
"Until we pass the tax package, I have absolutely no idea what kind of funding we're going to get to work with," said Sen. Tom Arpke, a conservative Salina Republican and chairman of the Senate Ways and Means subcommittee on education.
- Associated Press
There are more than 30 different lost and found offices on campus, one in almost every major building. KU Public
Safety manages them.
POLICE REPORTS
A 28-year-old male was arrested yesterday on the 1800 block of North 1500 Road on suspicion of aggressive battery. A $10,000 bond was paid.
- A 27-year-old male was arrested yesterday on the 1100 block of 6th Street on suspicion of intoxicated pedestrian in the roadway and possession of marijuana or THC. A $200 bond was paid.
- A 27-year-old male was arrested yesterday on the 1600 block of Cadet Avenue on suspicion of domestic battery and criminal damage to property. No bond was posted.
- A 29-year-old male was arrested yesterday on the intersection of 17th and Kentucky Streets on suspicion of criminal possession of a firearm, possession of stolen property, possession of controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia, driving with a suspended license, third offense, and unlawful receipt of controlled substance proceeds. An $8,000 bond was paid.
— Emily Donovan