-By Warner Todd Huston
Former 8th District Congressman Joe Walsh, a conservative firebrand, has called for the Chairman of the Illinois GOP to step down over his latest statements concerning gay marriage.During the talk of gay marriage early this year, Chairman Brady came out in support of the it saying that he’d put his “full support” behind gay marriage.
On January 2, Brady said, “More and more Americans understand that if two people want to make a lifelong commitment to each other, government should not stand in their way,” Brady said. “Giving gay and lesbian couples the freedom to get married honors the best conservative principles. It strengthens families and reinforces a key Republican value – that the law should treat all citizens equally.”
“Importantly, the pending legislation would protect the freedom of religion,” Brady added. “No church or religious organization would ever be required to perform a union with which it disagrees.”
Now, Joe Walsh, who many think might have designs on state-wide office here in Illinois now that his stint as federal Congressman is over, is calling for Brady to step down over those comments.
Walsh released a statement clarifying his position:
Two weeks ago, I publicly called on Pat Brady to step down as Chairman of the Illinois Republican Party. Pat is a good guy, but as he has still not retracted his public statements on same sex marriage, again, I call on him to step down. He can’t, in his position as Chairman of the Party, publicly refute a major piece of our Party’s Platform. It was a slap at all Republicans who believe in traditional marriage.
The Republican Party is a big tent and welcomes all viewpoints. Pat can have his own individual positions, but the Chairman of the Party must publicly support the Platform and be one of its most ardent spokespersons. Pat Brady is no longer in a position to be that spokesperson. For the good of the Party, he should step down.
