Supporters of Same-sex marriage ban report raising $1.2 million in 2012
Minnesota for Marriage, a group working to pass the constitutional amendment which would effectively ban same-sex marriage, reported raising $1.195 million between Jan. 1 and Sept. 25. The group has raised a total of $2 million this election cycle.
"Our latest report reveals that our 2012 donor contributions nearly doubled in only two months' time since the July report," John Helmberger, Minnesota for Marriage chairman said in a statement.
The Minnesota Catholic Conference is the main contributor to the organization. The lobbying arm of the Catholic Church donated a total of $600,000 in 2012. The Minnesota Family Council donated $250,000 for the year. Another major donor is Mary Joanne Feltl, who owns a Minneapolis brokerage firm. She donated $100,000 to the group.
Minnesota for Marriage is the main group organizing to pass the amendment to define marriage in the state Constitution as between one man and one woman. The group's fundraising lags Minnesotans United for All Families, a group working to defeat the amendment. That group reported raising more than $8 million this election cycle. Helmberger said in Minnesota for Marriage's press release that his group isn't deterred by the fundraising disadvantage.
"We are confident that as we continue our final outreach effort, the voices of the majority of Minnesotans will speak louder at the polls than the amount of money wasted in a futile attempt to convince people that men and women are interchangeable, and the Marriage Amendment will pass on Nov. 6th," Helmberger wrote.
One of the biggest contributors to Minnesotans United For All families is The Alliance for a Better Minnesota (ABM), which is funded by labor unions and several wealthy DFL donors. ABM contributed $182,000 to the group.
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