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PJLV-iklXUFA-css"><h1 class="PJLV PJLV-ikmtGxl-css overriStyl" data-ttid="headle" data-qa="headle" id="ma-ntent"><span data-qa="headle-text" class="PJLV">Sanrs’s evolvg and ‘wishy-washy’ stance on same-sex marriage (Fact Checker bgraphy)</span></h1></div><div class="flex prt-byle prt-mt-none"><div class="byle-wrapper flex-lumn flex"><div class="PJLV PJLV-ihSmMVC-css"><div class="PJLV PJLV-iPJLV-css mb-xxs overriStyl" style="gap:0.5rem" data-qa="thor-byle"><span class="wpds-c-PJLV"><div class="flex ems-center" data-qa="thor-byle"><div class="mr-sm flex lh-0"><div class="wpds-c-iTcer"><img src=" alt="" class="wpds-c-dgBqAZ"/></div></div><span class="left"><div class="flex"><div class="dib font-xxs" data-qa="name-wh-optnal-lk" data-cy="name-wh-optnal-lk"><span data-qa="attributn-text" class="wpds-c-cNdzuP">By <!-- --> </span><a data-qa="thor-name" href=" rel="thor" class="wpds-c-cNdzuP wpds-c-cNdzuP-ejzZdU-isLk-te">Glenn Ksler</a></div></div></span></div></span></div></div><div data-ttid="timtamp" class="wpds-c-kgabfe wpds-c-kgabfe-ieEDlgV-css"><span data-ttid="display-date" class="wpds-c-iKQyrV">November 3, 2015 at 3:00 a.m. EST</span></div></div></div></hear></div><article class="grid-article mb-xxl-ns" data-qa="ma"><div data-ttid="le-art" data-qa="le-art" class=""><figure class="overflow-hidn relative hi-for-prt center center mb-sm mb-md-ns ml-to-ns mr-to-ns grid-mobile-full-bleed"><div style="filter:blur(10px);transn:filter .1s;le-height:0" class="w-100 mw-100 h-to" width="600" height="337"><img style="background-size:ver;max-width:1600px;background-image:url('data:image/svg+xml;charset=utf-8,%3Csvg xmlns='http%3A//; xmlns%3Axlk='http%3A//; viewBox='0 0 1280 853'%3E%3Cfilter id='b' lor-terpolatn-filters='sRGB'%3E%3CfeGssianBlur stdDeviatn='.5'%3E%3C/feGssianBlur%3E%3CfeComponentTransfer%3E%3CfeFuncA type='discrete' tableValu='1 1'%3E%3C/feFuncA%3E%3C/feComponentTransfer%3E%3C/filter%3E%3Cimage filter='url(%23b)' x='0' y='0' height='100%25' width='100%25' 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data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null"><strong>— news release, <a href=" target="_blank">Bernie Sanrs for print Web se,</a> July 5, 2015</strong></p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null"><em>“I voted agast DOMA — you know what DOMA is?” he mand, referrg to the anti-gay Defense of Marriage Act, which [Hillary] Clton once supported durg her hband’s princy. “I’m not evolvg when to gay rights. I was there!”</em></p></div></div><div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null"><strong>— Sanrs, <a href=" target="_blank"> an terview wh Gail Colls of The New York Tim</a>, May 1, 2015</strong></p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Several rears asked to look to the statements light of <a href=" target="_blank">a fascatg article</a> Time magaze tled “How Bernie Sanrs evolved on Gay Marriage.” The article documented how while Sanrs may have opposed DOMA, he did more for narrow, legalistic issu — and how he was also late to support gay marriage his own state.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">We’ve examed his rerd. Can his mpaign back up s claim that he was an “outspoken proponent of gay marriage” before Vermont’s legislature passed — over the ernor’s veto — one of the first same-sex marriage laws?</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><h3 data-qa="article-hear" class=" pb-sm pt-lgmod" id="ONAS6NDRVNGHBCVPC6EIIE57U4"><div>The Facts</div></h3></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">There is ltle doubt that Sanrs has long been a supporter of gay rights. His mpaign supplied a long list of posns over time, <a href=" target="_blank">datg back to 1972</a>, backg gay and lbian rights.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">His vote on DOMA was a relatively lonely one, as he was jt <a href=" target="_blank">one of 67 Hoe members</a> to vote agast . (DOMA <a href=" target="_blank">allowed each state</a> to reach s own cisn about the legaly of same-sex unns, and fed marriage as between a man and woman unr feral law for the purpos of feral programs and benefs.) Given that then Print Bill Clton (D) had said he would sign the law, would have been far easier, polilly, to vote for .</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">But on gay marriage, Sanrs appears to have held off explic support until the Vermont legislature was poised to pass , tratg gay activists.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The only document his mpaign uld provi showg Sanrs’ support for gay marriage was <a href=" target="_blank">an article</a> that appeared on July 11, 2009, the Valley News of Wt Lebanon, N.H. The article was mostly about the reversal by Vermont’s other senator, Patrick Leahy (D), on DOMA, but also noted that Sanrs had “prevly voiced support for gay marriage laws passed this sprg” Vermont and New Hampshire.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">The Fact Checker ntacted the thor of the article, John P. Gregg, but he said he no longer had documentatn of the statements that Sanrs might have ma on the issue.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">On Aug. 12, 2009, the blog for Freedom to Marry, which advoted for same-sex marriage laws, <a href="http://C/blog/entry/voice-for-equaly-bernie-sanrs" target="_blank">saluted Sanrs</a> as a “Voice for Equaly.”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">But both of the news ems appeared after the Vermont legislature approved the gay-marriage law April 2009. We n fd no evince of “outspoken” support before the law was passed — a procs that started 2007 — eher news clips or his Senate office prs statements <a href=" target="_blank">mataed on the WayBack Mache</a>.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div id="gift-share-le" data-ttid="gift-share-le" class="PJLV PJLV-ilotWTr-css hi-for-prt"><button aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" aria-ntrols="gift-share-drawer" role="button" tabx="0" aria-label="Share this article" id="gift-share-drawer-ntrol-le" data-ttid="gift-share-drawer-ntrol-le" class="wpds-c-PJLV wpds-c-gsmDXe wpds-c-gsmDXe-goNocI-placement-Inle foc-highlight"><div data-ttid="gift-share-terstial-trigger" class="wpds-c-kPqOkS wpds-c-kPqOkS-jtSXsT-hasSubsText-false"><span class="wpds-c-hBJqc"><span class="wpds-c-dzSncg">Share this article</span></span><span class="wpds-c-eCvK"><span class="wpds-c-enedHQ wpds-c-enedHQ-cCdK-isShown-false">Share</span><svg xmlns=" fill="currentColor" viewBox="0 0 16 16" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-fBqPWp wpds-c-fDHGth"><path fill="currentColor" d="M8 .6v3.8h.1c-4.4 0-7.3 4.5-6.9 8.8.1.8.2 1.2.2 1.2l.2 1 .4-1.3c.8-2 2-4 6.2-3.9H8v4l7-6.9L8 .6Zm1 11.3V9.3h-.9c-3 0-4.8.5-6.2 2.9.5-3.3 2.7-6.8 6.2-6.8H9V3l4.5 4.4L9 11.9Z"></path></svg></span></div></button></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Ined, a noted Vermont polil wrer, the late Peter Freyne, <a href=" target="_blank">wrote 2000</a> that Sanrs served the “Wishy-Washy Award hands down” for his “refully crafted non-statement statement” on whether the Vermont legislature should craft a law that permted civil unns for homosexuals.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“Obtag Congrsman Bernie Sanrs’ posn on the gay marriage issue was like pullg teeth…om a rhoceros,” Freyne said after the Vermont Supreme Court urged the Vermont legislature to draft a law.  “Sanrs publicly tried walkg the tightrope — appldg the urt’s cisn and the e of equal rights whout supportg civil marriage for same-sex upl.” Freyne acced Sanrs of not wantg to offend “his nservative, rebel-lovg ral followg out the hills.”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">In 2006, when Sanrs first ran for the Senate, he said that the state was not ready for gay marriage, given the fact that the civil-unn law had ed <a href=" target="_blank">so much polil ntroversy</a> after was approved. In <a href=" target="_blank">an Associated Prs article</a> about Sanrs’ opposn to a nstutnal amendment prohibg gay marriage, he was asked whether Vermont should legalize full marriage rights for same-sex upl. He replied: “Not right now, not after what we went through.”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">In <a href=" target="_blank">an Oct. 26 terview wh MSNBC’s Rachel Maddow</a>, Sanrs acknowledged he urged a go-slow approach on gay marriage: “There were anti-civil unn monstratns. The state was very much spl. And I felt that at that time, given the fact that Vermont had gone first breakg new ground, let’s take easy for a while. That was my reasong.”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">In <a href=" target="_blank">an terview</a> wh NBC News, Evan Wolfson, the founr and print of pro-gay-marriage group Freedom to Marry, said that Sanrs has exaggerated his rerd on gay marriage. “Senator Sanrs, at pots, has implied that he has been a strong and nsistent supporter of the eedom to marry — but at ccial junctur, at least publicly, he was not,” Wolfson told NBC.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb dn db-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-sktop"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-none pt-lg pb-lg" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"><div>Advertisement</div></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">“Bernie’s seemgly wishy-washy remarks are not that unmon,” said Doug Hoffer, the Vermont state dor <a href=" target="_blank">who has endorsed Sanrs</a>. “In my experience followg Bernie once he was first elected to Congrs, he was often a b reluctant to wa too eply to matters that were clearly wh the purview of the state.”</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><h3 data-qa="article-hear" class=" pb-sm pt-lgmod" id="B5EGAUADMVEFTG4YCH4EJGBE24"><div>The Pocch Tt</div></h3></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Sanrs lik to portray himself as a no-nonsense tth teller. But he is also a polician who, for a variety of reasons, sometim has trimmed his sails on certa ntroversial issu.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div class="cb db dn-ns" data-qa="article-body-ad" data-ttid="article-body-ad-mobile"><div aria-hidn="te" class="hi-for-prt relative flex jtify-center ntent-box ems-center b bh mb-md mt-sm pt-sm pb-sm" style="m-height:250px;borr-top-lor:;borr-bottom-lor:"><div class="center absolute w-100 borr-box" style="top:"><div class="dib gray-dark pl-xs pr-xs font-sans-serif light font-xxxxs lh-md" style="--primary-borr-lor:"></div></div><div data-ttid="placeholr-box" class="w-100 h-100 absolute flex flex-lumn jtify-center borr-box bg-offwhe" style="width:300px;height:250px"><div class="flex flex-lumn jtify-center font-sans-serif center font-xxs light gray-dark lh-md"></div></div></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">Sanrs n certaly have braggg rights for havg opposed DOMA when was not a popular step. But his posn on same-sex marriage was more nuanced and obscure, and he appears to have evolved on the issue until  was more polilly feasible. We n fd ltle evince he was an “outspoken proponent” of or ahead of the crowd on eher Vermont’s 2000 civil-unn law or the 2009 gay-marriage law, though we would wele more evince ncerng his ntemporaneo statements and n adjt this ratg if more emerg.</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><h3 data-qa="article-hear" class=" pb-sm pt-lgmod" id="LEB6TKERT5GGNJNUNW32BOEDCQ"><div>Two Pocchs</div></h3></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><div data-qa="article-image" class="hi-for-prt"><div style="m-height:358px"></div></div></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null">(<a href=">About our ratg sle</a>)</p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null"><strong>Send facts to check by fillg out <a href=">this form</a></strong></p></div><div class="article-body" data-qa="article-body"><p data-ttid="drop-p-letter" data-el="text" class="wpds-c-cYdRxM wpds-c-cYdRxM-iPJLV-css overriStyl font-py" dir="null"><strong>Follow The Fact Checker on <a href="!/GlennKslerWP">Twter</a> and iend on <a href=">Facebook</a></strong></p></div><div class="wpds-c-jkoBlc wpds-c-jkoBlc-leHWbT-removeAllStyl-te"><div class="wpds-c-dhzjXW wpds-c-dhzjXW-iPJLV-css overriStyl"><div id="gift-share-end" data-ttid="gift-share-end" class="PJLV PJLV-idiqKOk-css hi-for-prt"><button aria-haspopup="dialog" aria-expand="false" aria-ntrols="gift-share-drawer" role="button" tabx="0" aria-label="Share this article" id="gift-share-drawer-ntrol-end" data-ttid="gift-share-drawer-ntrol-end" class="wpds-c-PJLV wpds-c-gsmDXe wpds-c-gsmDXe-iIVoLq-placement-Shortcut foc-highlight"><div class="wpds-c-UazGY" id="gift-share-shortcut" data-ttid="gift-share-shortcut"><svg xmlns=" fill="var(--wpds-lors-primary)" viewBox="0 0 16 16" aria-hidn="te" focable="false" role="img" class="wpds-c-fVfumU "><path fill="currentColor" d="M8 .6v3.8h.1c-4.4 0-7.3 4.5-6.9 8.8.1.8.2 1.2.2 1.2l.2 1 .4-1.3c.8-2 2-4 6.2-3.9H8v4l7-6.9L8 .6Zm1 11.3V9.3h-.9c-3 0-4.8.5-6.2 2.9.5-3.3 2.7-6.8 6.2-6.8H9V3l4.5 4.4L9 11.9Z"></path></svg><div class="PJLV wpds-c-kwcHlj">Share</div></div></button></div></div><div class="PJLV PJLV-iipsdti-css"><div></div></div><div class="PJLV PJLV-iipsdti-css"><div></div></div><sectn class="PJLV PJLV-icEohIP-css dn-ns hi-for-prt" data-ttid="mostRead" subscriptns-sectn="ntent"><div data-ttid="lazy-most-read-parent" class=""><div style="m-height:800px"></div></div></sectn><div class="PJLV PJLV-ickXkbz-css"><div data-qa="newsletter" class="hi-for-prt relative"><div class="dib w-100"><div><div class="flex jtify-center align self-center center transn-all duratn-400 ease--out" data-qa="sc-newsletter-signup" aria-label=""><svg aria-labelledby="react-aria-1-aria" role="img" viewBox="0 0 100 80"><tle id="react-aria-1-aria">Loadg...

bernie sanders gay rights

The Bernie Sanrs mpaign says the ndidate was an "outspoken proponent" of gay marriage his state.

Contents:

HOW BERNIE SANRS EVOLVED ON GAY MARRIAGE

Bernie Sanrs is cricizg Hillary Clton over her rerd on gay marriage, but his own story is more plited than he portrays . * bernie sanders gay rights *

Wh Clton wag nearby, Sanrs blamed her for supportg the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which barred feral regnn of gay marriage, argug that she is now misleadg the public about her past views when she says that she only supported the law to prevent a nstutnal amendment. “Today, some are tryg to rewre history by sayg they voted for one anti-gay law to stop somethg worse, ” Sanrs told a group of top Democratic anizers, whout sayg Clton’s name.

AS GAY RIGHTS ALLY, BERNIE SANRS WASN’T ALWAYS VANGUARD

Bernie Sanrs exprsed varyg levels of support for gay rights as he rose polilly, and some gay rights advot say he was ls than a lear. * bernie sanders gay rights *

When Sanrs was asked on Sunday about his vote agast the Defense of Marriage Act on CNN, he said that he believed back 1996 that gay upl had the right to gay marriage. ” In 1999, the Vermont Supreme Court led that the state had to guarantee protectns and benefs to gay upl, a stop short of legalizg gay marriage. Many proment Democrats, cludg Sanrs’ succsor as mayor of Burlgton and a gubernatorial nomee, spoke out favor of gay marriage, but Sanrs kept mum.

Peter Freyne, a lolly beloved Vermont wrer and opn wrer whom Sanrs later ld as “the bt polil reporter the state of Vermont, ” acced the then-Congrsman of obftg on his gay rights posn. Freyne scribed repeated attempts to hear Sanrs’ views on gay marriage, and the ngrsman only said he “supports the current procs” the state legislature.

That same year, Sanrs was asked a bate durg his first n for the Senate about a Massachetts state urt cisn that legalized gay marriage.

BERNIE SANRS WAS S AHEAD OF THE UNTRY ON GAY RIGHTS AND ENDG THE WAR ON DGS

Nearly 40 percent of lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr Super Tuday voters backed Bernie Sanrs, and Elizabeth Warren was a distant send. * bernie sanders gay rights *

He rpond by talkg about stat’ rights, which is an argument often ed by policians who have argued agast feral regnn of gay marriage as well. “Was the gentleman referrg to the many thoands and thoands of gay people who have put their liv on the le untls wars fendg this untry?

— As Senator Bernie Sanrs tri to distguish himself om Hillary Rodham Clton and rally his progrsive base, one issue where he has claimed a clear advantage is the long battle over gay Sanrs has highlighted his opposn to the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which nied feral regnn to same-sex marriag, sayg he thought upl should be able to “get married regardls of their sexual orientatn. ” In a recent terview, he said that “whout tootg my own horn, ” his opposn to the act, which was signed by Print Bill Clton, “means that somebody has got to take learship, ” and he told Gail Colls, a lumnist for The New York Tim: “I’m not evolvg when to gay rights. ”But on his home turf Vermont, the first state to regnize civil unns and a trailblazer same-sex marriage rights, gay rights advot say Mr.

Sanrs was ls than a lear, and not entirely prent, on the Sanrs, who first publicly endorsed gay marriage 2009, exprsed varyg levels of support for gay rights as he rose om the mayor of liberal Burlgton to a ngrsman and then a senator wh statewi support among more socially nservative nstuenci such as hunters, blue-llar workers and olr Sanrs’s modulatn on the issue, those who have watched his reer say, is a reflectn of both his sgle-md foc on enomic equaly and his ftns as a polician, a si of him that ns unter to his reputatn for iologil pury and unpromisg his explanatn for the vote that he holds up as evince of his forward thkg has evolved.

BERNIE SANRS STOOD UP FOR GAY SOLDIERS — 16 YEARS BEFORE "DON'T ASK, DON'T TELL" END

Sen. Bernie Sanrs has been attackg Hillary Clton for her stance on gay marriage and amg himself as a longstandg advote for gay rights. * bernie sanders gay rights *

“In the early years, Bernie was not an outspoken advote on the issu to the gree he is now, ” said Keh Goslant, a proment gay rights activist Sanrs first me across gay people as a young boy growg up a Brooklyn buildg where the supertennt was a stocky Argente who lived a first-floor apartment wh an eccentric Broadway Goldman/Associated Prs“Clearly the gayt uple the history of the world, ” Mr. ”By the time he beme mayor of Burlgton 1981, after years as a socialist active radil leftist polics, he had bee a reliable ally to gay activists. Sanrs approved a rolutn proclaimg June 25 to be Gay Pri Day, wrg, “In a ee society we mt all be mted to the mutual rpect of each others liftyl.

BERNIE SANRS BLASTS CLTON RERD ON GAY RIGHTS, KEYSTONE, FREE TRA

Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanrs says if elected print, he will overturn laws Mississippi and North Carola that crics say discrimate agast the gay muny. * bernie sanders gay rights *

”In 1985, he ma another proclamatn and sent his good tidgs to anizers of a gay pri para, potg out that an ordance Burlgton had passed prohibg discrimatn hog would benef “the gay muny as well. Sanrs had told him that he might not be the lead sponsor of bills they advoted, but that he would sign state legislators who were promotg gay rights issu at the time were more cril. Sanrs spoke out agast the Clton admistratn’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” policy, which ntued the ary’s ban on gay men and lbians but let them serve if they kept their sexual orientatn secret.

Was the gentleman referrg to the many thoands and thoands of gay people who have put their liv on the le untls wars fendg this untry?

Om a rhoceros, ” wrote the Vermont publitn Seven posn mattered to advot of gay marriage bee the urt required the state legislature to act on s cisn, and the support, or silence, of Mr.

BERNIE SANRS PRINTIAL MPAIGN, 2016/GAY RIGHTS

Sanrs would be Sanrs was not “a real active participant the fight” for civil rights, said David Moats, the thor of “Civil Wars, ” who won a Pulzer Prize for his edorials on the issue The Rutland Vermont legislature passed a civil unns bill 2000, 15 years before the Uned Stat Supreme Court legalized gay marriage throughout the untry.

Sanrs to speak, he plored the monizatn of gay people but plaed that the vilent opposn to civil unns diverted attentn om prcriptn dg sts, health re and other enomic issu. “There are a dozen other issu out there that are as important or more important as that issue, ” he followg years were somethg of a wilrns perd for gay activists Vermont, as many policians wanted a break after the fight over civil unns.

Sanrs articulated his support for gay Clton did so 2013, the year the Supreme Court stck down part of the Defense of Marriage as Mr. ”A versn of this article appears prt on, Sectn A, Page 12 of the New York edn wh the headle: Sanrs an Uneven Ally Fight for Gay Rights.

*BEAR-MAGAZINE.COM* BERNIE SANDERS GAY RIGHTS

Bernie Sanrs stood up for gay soldiers — 16 years before "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" end - Vox .

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