I've been writing about Marriage Equality and property rights for several months.
On Monday, 63 Texas state officials signed a court brief claiming that Same Sex Marriage was the same as "bigamy, incest, pedophilia, and group marriage". They are asking the appeals court to not overturn the state ban on same sex marriage. But marriage equality is also property rights equality. And the Texas Association of Realtors (TAR) should be supporting that aim.
Sadly, out of those 63 state officials who signed the brief, most of them are recipients of TAR endorsements and TREPAC funds. In Texas, it appears that homophobic candidates have a steady source of funds from our PAC. Apparently we need them to vote for real estate issues at the price of LGBT Property Rights that come with Marriage Equality. I hope I get to celebrate the day that homophobic candidates are no longer electable. But at this point we are a long way off in Texas. How abhorant does a candidate have to be before we endorse someone else? Who is it still okay to discriminiate against? For Realtors, the choice should be clear. For our Association, it should be as well.
Here is the list of state officials who signed the brief
(Sources - http://votesmart.org & TAR Endorsements) Endorsees and PAC donations over $5,000 highlighted
Brian Birdwell, Texas Senate -TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $10,000.00
Donna Campbell, Texas Senate - 2014 Endorsee
Bob Deuell, Texas Senate - 2014 & 2010 Endorsee
Craig Estes, Texas Senate - 2012 Endorsee
Troy Fraser, Texas Senate - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $12,500.00
Kelly Hancock, Texas Senate - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $15,000.00
Robert Nichols, Texas Senate - 2012 Endorsee - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $10,000.00
Dan Patrick - 2014 Endorsee - Texas Senate TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $16,000.00
Ken Paxton, Texas Senate - TEXAS ASSOCATION OF REALTORS $15,000.00
Charles Schwertner, Texas Senate - 2012 Endorsee - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $20,020.00
Larry Taylor, Texas Senate - 2012 Endorsee - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $8,500.00
Trent Ashby - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $6,000.00
Cecil Bell, Jr.- TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $1,000.00
Dwayne Bohac - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $5,000.00
Dennis Bonnen - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $5,000.00
Greg Bonnen - TEXAS ASSOCATION OF REALTORS $6,009.00
Angie Chen Button - 2014 Endorsee - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $2,500.00
Tom Craddick - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $5,000.00
Brandon Creighton TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $5,000.00
Myra Crownover 2014 Endorsee - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $2,500.00
Gary Elkins - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $6,500.00
Pat Fallon - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $1,000.00
Allen Fletcher - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $5,000.00
Dan Flynn - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $2,511.00
James Frank - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $2,000.00
John Frullo - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $1,500.00
Craig Goldman - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $1,000.00
Larry Gonzales - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $6,529.00
Lance Gooden - 2014 Endorsee - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $7,500.00
Linda Harper-Brown - 2014 Endorsee - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $1,500.00
Harvey Hilderbran - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $20,000.00
Bryan Hughes - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $2,520.00
Jason Isaac - TEXAS ASSOCATION OF REALTORS $10,773.00
Phil King - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $5,000.00
Tim Kleinschmidt - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $1,500.00
Stephanie Klick - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $1,000.00
Lois Kolkhorst - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $2,632.00
Matt Krause - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $1,000.00
Jodie Laubenberg - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $2,500.00
George Lavender - 2014 Endorsee - TEXAS ASSOCATION OF REALTORS $1,500.00
Jeff Leach - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $18,371.00
Tryon Lewis - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $2,500.00
Rick Miller - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $2,000.00
Geanie Morrison - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $5,000.00
Jim Murphy - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $12,523.00
Rob Orr - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $7,500.00
John Otto - 2014 Endorsee - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $23,082.00
Tan Parker - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $5,000.00
Charles Perry - 2014 Endorsee -TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $2,500.00
Larry Phillips - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $17,507.00
Scott Sanford - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $1,000.00
Matt Schaefer -TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $1,022.00
Ralph Sheffield - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $5,000.00
Ron Simmons - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $1,000.00
John Smithee - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $5,000.00
Van Taylor - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $1,500.00
Ed Thompson - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $1,000.00
Steve Toth - TEXAS ASSOCATION OF REALTORS $1,000.00
James White - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $1,500.00
Bill Zedler - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $1,011.00
Drew Springer
Charles “Doc” Anderson
Scott Turner
In fairness, TAR did contribute to one of two openly LGBT representative
Mary Edna Gonzalez - 2014 Endorsee - TEXAS ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS $2,071.00
For Further information contact Bob McCranie at Bob@BobMcCranie.com 972-754-0582
------
Related Blogs
Policy Statement of Texas LGBT Realtors
Separate But Unequal - Property Rights Are Important to All
From the President of the National Association of REALTORS®
Did you realize the Code of Ethics once required discrimination
Code of Ethics Under Attack by RPAC Endorsed CandidatesWould you sell a home to these couples? You may not have to
Property Rights are Realtor Issues. Our Candidates Should Agree
The REALTOR Party, Human Rights and the Code of Ethics
Comments (2)Subscribe to CommentsComment