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Rouse Leaves MassEquality for HRC  

BOSTON, MAlRicHivioND,VT —
Political consultant and organiz-
er Marty Rouse, a resident of
Richmond, is moving on from
his leadership of Boston-based
MassEquality to a position as
field director of the national
advocacy and lobbying group
Human Rights Campaign.

“The battle for our rights at
the statewide level has national
implications,” Rouse said in a
phone interview from Boston.
“HRC needs to be involved at
the state level.”

MassEquality successfully
defended marriage equality in
the Bay State from several right
wing attempts to overturn the
2003 Supreme Judicial Court
marriage equality ruling by con-
stitutionally banning sarne—gen-
der marriages.

Former MassEquality Political
Director Marc Solomon accepted
an appointment last month by the
orgar1ization’s board of directors
to Rouse’s former position as
Campaign Director.

When Rouse became
involved, MassEquality was an
all-volunteer loose coalition of
grassroots organizations. Rouse
and a handful of staff members
turned the group into a political ~
and fundraising powerhouse that
has prevailed by dint of neigh-
borhood organizing, recruiting
candidates to oppose anti-gay
incumbents, and turning out vot-
ers and volunteers to support pro-
equality candidates for legislative
office. The Boston—area lgbt
weekly Bay VVndows reported
that the organization took in more
than $2 million in fiscal 2004.

Rouse’s move to HRC is part
of a change of focus for the
Washington—based group away
from congressional lobbying and
presidential campaigns under past
leadership and toward more
involvement in state struggles as a
way to reach members of
Congress who have been less than
responsive to traditional lobbying.

“ENDA [the Employment
Non-Discrimination Act] won,’ t
pass by lobbying Congresspeople
on the Hill,” Rouse declared.
“We can have the best lobbyists
in the world, but if the legislator
doesn’t hear the message from
his or her constituents at home,
we’re doomed.”

Rouse plans to take the model
he successfully developed and

showcased in Massachusetts to
HRC and make it available to
targeted states.

“I want to be part of develop-
ing five- and 10-year plans, not
just fighting anti-gay legisla-
tion,” Rouse said, pointing out

 

that responding to anti-gay
measures puts lgbt voters and
organizations on the defensive.
He mentioned Montana as a
state on the verge, where lgbt
organizations can move forward.
HRC President Joe Solmonese
cited Wisconsin and California
as states facing marriage fights,
along with Washington state, g
which is expecting a court ruling
on marriage following the heart-

~ breaking defeat of a gay rights

bill by a single vote. “We have
to be smartand strategic,”‘Rouse
said. “HRC has the responsibili-
ty to help stateeorganizations
play offense, build political
power, and flex their muscles.”

Meanwhile, Massachusetts is
facing yet another campaign to
put a constitutional gay-marriage
ban to a Vote in 2008. According
to press releases, the petitioning
group, VoteOnMarriage.org, sub-
mitted l70,000 signatures, of
which 147,000 were reportedly
verified by local town_clerks.
The measure will reach the bal-
lot if 50 legislators in two
sequential constitutional conven-
tions agree to support it.

Rouse, however, isn’t wor-
ried. “MassEquality has a great
board, skilled and experienced
lobbyists, and a professional
staff. I can now move on, and
the need is so urgent nationally.”

Elyse Cherry, the president of
the MassEquality board of direc-

tors, values highly Rouse’s skills
and contributions to the organiza-
tion. “He has been both shrewd
political tactician and elegant
ambassador for our cause. As a
central architect of our electoral
strategy, Marty knew how to

campaign. Following stints in
that administration in the depart-
ments of Health and Human
Services and Housing and Urban
Development, he returned to
Vermont to help Democrats

retain a majority in the state sen— '

both parties, Rouse received a
ringing endorsement from the
Democrats. “I congratulate HRC
for bringing Marty’s profession-
alism to the national stage. HRC
has chosen an outstanding organ-
izer,” said Democratic National

“ENDA won’t pass by lobbying
Congresspeople on the Hill. If the_
legislator doesn't hear the message
from his or herconstituents at

home, we’re doomed.”
- ORGANIZER MARTY ROUSE

focus resources and message,”
she said in agpress statement. “He
also knew how to solidify sup-
port in the community, so that we
would have the funds necessary
to do our work. We are more pre-
pared for what lies ahead because
of Marty’s leadership.”

Rouse honed his organizing
skills in Vermont campaigns
beginning in 1996, working on
the Clinton/Gore re-election

ate in the civil union backlash
election of 2000. He and his
partner Scott Sherman (who has
written movie and television
reviews for OIT M) and son
Sasha (now six) moved to

we

9 Richmond in 2002. Rouse began

the long commute to Boston to
work with MassEquality in
January 2004.

While HRC is committed to
working with legislators from

’ _Marty’s'__ political organizing skills

Corrunittee chairman Howard
Dean in a press release. “For
close to ten years, I have seen

firsthand in Vermont. Today, I .4
there are dozens more fair-rnind-

ed legislators in Vermont because

of Marty’s personal commitment

to fairness, his tremendous work

. ethic, and his unmatched political

savvy.” V

BURLiNGToN — Equality

lation with potential impact on
the state’s lgbt communities, is
soon to be officially partnered
with the R.U.l .2? Queer A
Community Center.
Both groups are currently

recognized as tax—exempt
501(c)(3) organizations by the

the new plan, Equality Vermont
will reorganize as a 501(c)(4)
political group, without tax-
exempt status, associated with

“It’s similar to having a PAC
[political action committee],”
explained R.U.1.2? Director
Christopher Kaufman. “I would-
n’t characterize it as —a merger.”

“It’s a great fit. We’ve
already been working together
on Queer Summits and Queer

R.U.l .2? is a strong organiza-

tion,” said Equality Verrnont’s

Vermont, which monitors legis-

Intemal Revenue Service. Under

the tax—exempt R.U.l .2? Center.

Visibility Days at the legislature.

Virginia Renfrew.

The boards of the two organi-
zations will have considerable
overlap in members.

Equality Vermont recently sent
out a fundraising plea for,thc $500
it needs to apply for “C4” status.

“Everyone at the Center will
work for the C-4, which will bill
the C-3 for 97 percent of the
expenditures,” Kaufman said.

“The C-4 is intended to be
low-key. We hope to_do candi-
date forums for the mayoral
elections in Burlington,” he con-
tinued. “Later on we’ll do some
get-out-the-vote activities and
candidate surveys with ratings
based on the answers on issues
important to our community. We
could endorse candidates, but
we’re not likely to. We expect to
spend about $2—3 thousand on
C-4 acitivities.” _

Donations to the Center will
be assumed to be non-tax-
deductible gifts to the C-4 group

Equality VT Partners with Queer Center

unless they are specifically
directed to the C-3 Community
Center, Kaufman said. The
change will not affect the
Center’s ability to continue as a
worksite for Americorps Vista
workers like CyberCenter direc-
tor Peggy Luhrs. Luhrs techni-
cally does not work for the
Center, but for the City of
Burlington, although Kaufman
counts her as a “staff member.”
‘ “This will broaden our reach
politically and make us more
effective,” Kaufman declared.
He also said that the board of
the C-4 group will decide
which issues the group will
take on. “Currently the only
issue we’re working on is
H.478,” the gender identity and
expression bill introduced last
session, he added.

Kaufman cautioned,“This
does not mean we have the
capacity to take on extra
work.” 7

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