A day after Shirley Franklin said the city of Atlanta will fine Druid Hills Golf Club up to $90K for denying gay members spousal benefits, Republican Rep. Earl Ehrhart of Powder Springs came to the club’s defense. As quoted by the AJC (login), Ehrhart sounded like a basketball player who had trained for months in preparation for the big opening day game, only to have the other team forfeit because its bus wrecked on the way to the arena:
A powerful Republican legislator said Tuesday that he will submit legislation that would block Atlanta from penalizing Druid Hills Golf Club for denying spousal benefits to partners of gay members.
“The city is going to pursue its route, and I have to pursue mine,” said Rep. Earl Ehrhart (R-Powder Springs), who is in line to become chairman of the House Rules Committee, which decides which bills are actually debated on the House floor.
I did find Franklin’s response to be bizarre though:
“I certainly wouldn’t comment on what things the state Legislature may do.” But she said later that if the General Assembly passed such a bill, “the city would follow the laws of the state.”
Ehrhart already proposed this bill last year, but it died in the Democratic House. So it was all but inevitable he would reintroduce it this year with a Republican House. As Joseph and Sid have noted in the comments, Franklin was going to have to cave to the pressure from her gay constituency eventually on this (stupid) issue.
Unsubstantiated speculation time: By bringing this to the forefront now rather than later, Franklin can keep appearances of having done the “right thing” with her substantial gay constituency. Thus, she isn’t blamed by the gays when the legislation almost inevitably passes. The golf club wins because the mayor’s sanctions will mean nothing (not that $500 per day means much to a club that charges a $40K membership fee). Meanwhile, Ehrhart gains political capital among his GOP brethren for appearing to take the “queer-loving” mayor on — and winning. It works out almost well enough to have been planned that way. The primary question remaining is what will this cost Dems outside Atlanta? Did Mayor Franklin sell them out to save her own ass?
It did not go unnoticed that although the Mayor imposed a fine, she did not say when it would begin. And, of course, it is not as if this no-win situation for all — especially those who now will get a bill that can be expanded in the future by pushing the issue — just came up last week. It has been going on forever. “When will they ever learn, when will they . . . ever . . . learn.” Maybe some fresh leadership — some more fresh leadership — would help. I fought the Const. Amendment as hard as I could, but with friends like this on board, who needs enemies.