Mary Cheney supports effort to fight Virginia's marriage amendment

Better late than never. Darth's daughter finally found a reason, albeit a personal one (since she lives there), to donate to The Commonwealth Coalition, which opposes the horrid amendment that will be on the ballot next month.

"We are feeling very positive about where we are, and it's very clear that the momentum continues to move in our direction," said campaign manager Claire Guthrie Gasta?aga. "We are continuing to raise money to do everything we need to do. Every informed voter is a no voter."

Mary Cheney of Great Falls, the openly gay daughter of Vice President Dick Cheney and author of a recently published political memoir, gave $1,000 to the coalition, the report shows.

She's clearly done a little reading since that CNN interview with Larry King where she had no clue what the laws were in her state.

Former governor Mark Warner, who recently announced that he would not run for president in 2008, donated $25,000 through his PAC.

Gastanaga said contributions from Warner and Cheney are morale boosters for the Coalition. Warner, a Democrat, gave $25,000 through his political action committee, One Virginia.

...“It’s a strong statement about the credibility of the argument lots of people have made, that this amendment goes too far,” Gastanaga said.

Ellen Qualls, a spokeswoman for Warner, said the former governor believes the proposed amendment is so broadly worded that it would interfere with the legal rights of any unmarried couple.

If she really wanted to be effective, Cheney could appear in some commercials with her partner Heather Poe to put a face on this issue in her state. This is what the citizens of the Commonwealth will vote on:

BALLOT QUESTION NUMBER 1

Question: Shall Article I (the Bill of Rights) of the Constitution of Virginia be amended to state:

"That only a union between one man and one woman may be a marriage valid in or recognized by this Commonwealth and its political subdivisions.

This Commonwealth and its political subdivisions shall not create or recognize a legal status for relationships of unmarried individuals that intends to approximate the design, qualities, significance, or effects of marriage. Nor shall this Commonwealth or its political subdivisions create or recognize another union, partnership, or other legal status to which is assigned the rights, benefits, obligations, qualities, or effects of marriage."?