Signature Gatherers for Anti-Gay Marriage Petition Accused of Fraud

By Christina Rentz

Published on October 19, 2005

Opponents of the same sex marriage law in Massachusetts have started a petition to get an initiative on the 2008 ballot that would repeal the law. Gay activists have raised allegations that the signature gatherers hired by these opponents have resorted to dubious tactics in order to trick voters into signing the petition. Opponents of the law have responded to the allegations by accusing gay activists of engaging in intimidation tactics and destroying valid petitions.

At a State House hearing yesterday, the feuding factions pleaded their cases. Ten voters testified that they were asked to sign a petition regarding wine sales and then asked to sign the "back up" wine petition, which was actually the anti-same sex marriage petition. A Florida college student who worked as one of the signature gatherers also alleged that she had been trained by her boss in fraudulent ways to get voters to sign the petition.

One the other hand, opponents of gay marriage say they have been the subject of undue ridicule and harassment. Kris Mineau, present of the Massachusetts Family Institute and supporter of the controversial petition, claims gay activists have sent him menacing emails. He also says he has received numerous gay publications at his house.

Supports of the petition need approximately 65,000 valid signatures to get their initiative on the 2008 ballot.

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