Ousted Senate Republican insider Michael Brodkorb, who broke his almost 10-month-long silence this week, said GOP leaders put a gay marriage ban on the ballot this fall not to protect family values but to drive social conservatives to the polls.
The former chief spokesman for the Senate GOP was fired last December after he had an affair with the party's then-majority leader Amy Koch. Brodkorb has sued the state, Senate and others for discrimination and defamation, claiming he was treated differently than female staffers who had affairs with male legislators.
Sen. Scott Dibble, DFL-Minneapolis, said Brodkorb's assessment rings true.
Dibble, who is gay, said several GOP senators told him directly that their vote in favor of the amendment was for political reasons, not personal belief, and some even asked for his forgiveness.
"They have violated their own conscience for political reasons while claiming to be standing on principle," Dibble said.
Pollster Bill Morris, who chaired the state GOP party three decades ago, said to any political insider, it's no surprise that the gay marriage ban was put on the ballot to drive voter turnout.
"In many states, a constitutional amendment is put out there for precisely that reason. Both Democrats and Republicans do it. We're just not used to it here in Minnesota," Morris said.
"I think the Senate is going to rue the day they put those amendments on," Morris said. "Because if they both go down, a lot of incumbent senators will go down with them."
Gay marriage: Ousted GOP insider Brodkorb says amendment more about votes than family values - TwinCities.com
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