Suburban Republicans cross party line on civil unions
SPRINGFIELD -- Personal connections to the struggles of gay couples trumped politics this week as several suburban Republicans crossed traditional party lines to vote for civil unions.
Three House members who voted for the controversial legislation say it wasn't difficult for them to go against the majority of their party and that their votes were informed by personal experiences.
State Rep. Rosemary Mulligan, a Des Plaines Republican, said despite a majority of her party's votes against the legislation, “I don't find civil unions to be problematic. I do have one really good friend whose daughter has been in a committed relationship for almost 20 years. I'm sure they feel just as connected as many married couples. Why shouldn't they have many of the same rights?”
The civil unions legislation is on its way to Gov. Pat Quinn, who pledged he will sign it, setting the stage for the first civil unions on June 1.
State Rep. Mark Beaubien, a Barrington Hills Republican, said his opinion has changed as he's become “older and wiser.”
“It's been a sort of evolution over time,” Beaubien said.
He said he's met a number of gay people in his time serving in Springfield, including state Rep. Greg Harris, the openly gay lawmaker who sponsored the civil unions legislation. Beaubien said he also knew the late state Rep. Larry McKeon, who was also openly gay and carried the legislation unsuccessfully before Harris.
“I've become very nonjudgmental,” Beaubien said.
Last April, when Democratic state Rep. Deborah Mell announced her engagement to longtime partner Christin Baker, Beaubien was the only Republican in the House to offer public praise to Mell. He said then the gesture dated back to when the two lawmakers both rented rooms at the Pasfield House Inn near the Capitol and formed a friendly professional relationship.
“I had the honor of walking over with (Rep. Mell to the Capitol) and have grown very, very fond of her, and I just wanted to wish her and Christin the best in the future,” an emotional Beaubien said at the time. “I know you'll do quite well,” he added, referring to “one of my signs I see every morning: ‘Live your own life, speak your own truth.'”
State Rep. Suzie Bassi, a Palatine Republican, said her children, who are in their 30s, have gay friends. She said she took a cue from their thoughts on the issue. “That age bracket is just like ‘duh' on this,” she said.
“It's a civil rights issue,” she added.
Republican Rep. Angelo “Skip” Saviano of Elmwood Park also voted in favor.
Democrats also bucked their party trend in the vote. State Rep. Linda Chapa LaVia of Aurora voted against civil unions despite wide support for them on her side of the aisle. Chapa LaVia did not return several calls seeking comment.
Republican support was crucial to the measure's success, since it received just 61 votes in the House when it needed 60,
A total of six Republicans in the House voted for civil unions. In the Senate, one Republican voted for civil unions: state Treasurer-elect Dan Rutherford of downstate Chenoa.
&bul; Daily Herald politics and projects writer Kerry Lester contributed to this report.