Same-Sex Marriage Ad

The state's chief anti-gay marriage group, the National Organization for Marriage - Rhode Island, got substantial ink last month for a television ad suggesting Governor Chafee - elected with 36 percent of the vote - does not have a mandate to push through a same-sex marriage bill.

But there was a small reply - an radio ad that ran last week supporting same-sex marriage and arguing that separate isn't equal. The $15,000 ad campaign, it turns out, was funded by the ACLU's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Project.

I spoke with Steve Brown, head of the ACLU's Rhode Island branch. He says the ad was meant to influence the debate in the House of Representatives, where a Judiciary Committee vote is expected as soon as next week. Unclear, at this point, if more national ACLU money will materialize if and when the bill moves to the Senate.