Hateful Rhetoric
Cuccinelli Said That “Homosexual Acts” Should Be Illegal Because “They Don’t Comport With Natural Law.” According to a Virginian-Pilot editorial Cuccinelli said, “My view is that homosexual acts, not homosexuality, but homosexual acts are wrong. They’re intrinsically wrong. And I think in a natural law based country it’s appropriate to have policies that reflect that. … They don’t comport with natural law. I happen to think that it represents (to put it politely; I need my thesaurus to be polite) behavior that is not healthy to an individual and in aggregate is not healthy to society.” [Editorial – Virginian-Pilot, 10/26/09]
Cuccinelli Said That The Acts Of Homosexuality Are “A Detriment To Our Culture.” According to an interview exchange with Cucinelli aired on MSNBC, “UNIDENTIFIED REPORTER: You think gays — the practice of homosexuality is a detriment to our culture? KEN CUCCINELLI, VIRGINIA STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL: The acts are. I mean, you certainly want everybody in your society to be integrated into society, so that`s a focus that I’d like to take.” [MSNBC, 3/192010]
Cuccinelli Said Homosexuality “Brings Nothing But Self-Destruction, Not Only Physically But Of Their Soul.” According to the Washington Post, “Cuccinelli told the Family Foundation that the ranks of conservatives who still focus on the social issues are quite small in the state Senate, with but six conservatives among 19 Republican senators. That’s a tally many on the other side of the aisle would find all too stinting. But Cuccinelli said all is not lost. Despite the Democrats taking back the Senate this year, a few Democrats support the right on social issues. ‘And on the homosexual agenda,’ the senator said, “we will sometimes get members of the Black Caucus with us.’ ‘Your prayers strengthen us,’ Cuccinelli said, telling about his effort to defeat a resolution expressing support for a Richmond gay organization. ‘When you look at the homosexual agenda, I cannot support something that I believe brings nothing but self-destruction, not only physically but of their soul.’” [Washington Post, 2/5/08]
AIDS Education
Cuccinelli Opposed AIDS Education In Public Schools – Felt It Was Part Of An Attack On Marriage. According to the Washington Times, “Mr. Cuccinelli and others worry recent protests on the topic are part of an overall strategy by homosexuals, who he thinks plan to ‘dismantle sodomy laws’ and ‘get education about homosexuals and AIDS in public schools.’ On Friday in a 79-18 vote, the House passed a bill that affirms the state’s ban on homosexual ‘marriage.’ It is expected to pass the Senate. The majority of lawmakers say marriage is under attack nationwide, with court decisions allowing homosexual ‘marriage’ in Massachusetts and the issuing of ‘marriage’ licenses to same-sex couples in San Francisco.” [Washington Times, 2/18/04]
Sodomy Laws
Cuccinelli Voted Against A Bill To Overturn The State’s Anti-Sodomy Law. In February 2004, Cuccinelli voted in a Senate committee against Senate Bill 477. According to the Roanoke Times, “Senate Bill 477, sponsored by Democratic Sen. Patsy Ticer of Alexandria, lifts the restrictions on private acts between adults but maintains prohibitions on sex in public. The bill conforms the penalties for public sodomy with those for other sexual crimes.” [Roanoke Times, 2/12/04]
Cuccinelli Said Federal Courts Should Be “Reined In” After The Supreme Court Struck Down Texas’ Anti-Sodomy Law. According to the Associated Press, “Del. Robert F. McDonnell, R-Virginia Beach, and Sen. Ken Cuccinelli, R-Fairfax, said court rulings striking down anti-sodomy laws in Texas and legalizing gay marriage in Massachusetts could affect Virginia if action is not taken at the federal level. ‘We’ve been pushed here by an out-of-control federal court system that needs to be reined in,’ Cuccinelli said.” [Associated Press, 1/12/04]
In 2003, Cuccinelli Promised To Fight U.S. Supreme Court Decision Striking Down Anti-Sodomy Laws – Said “Homosexuality Is Wrong.” According to The Washington Post, “Virginia politicians say the U.S. Supreme Court decision striking down anti-sodomy laws will unleash a torrent of state legislation that could mirror the fights over abortion rights and other social issues that have dominated recent General Assembly sessions. Proponents and opponents of the ruling say the court’s decision bolsters the gay rights movement in Virginia and provides a legal precedent for some protections long sought by gay rights advocates. […] State Sen. Ken Cuccinelli (R-Fairfax) said he would fight any extension of gay rights. He added that ‘homosexuality is wrong.’ Cuccinelli said gay rights will be an immediate campaign issue. All 140 seats in the General Assembly are on the ballot Nov. 4. Cuccinelli predicted that candidates will use the issue to let voters know where their values lie, much as they do with the issue of abortion. ‘This will be a strong indicator on a variety of issues for some voters,’ he said.” [The Washington Post, 6/29/03]
Same-Sex Marriage Amendment
HEADLINE: “In Supreme Court Brief, Ken Cuccinelli Warned Of A Slippery Slope From Gay Marriage To Polygamy.” According to ABC News, “Virginia gubernatorial candidate Ken Cuccinelli’s opposition to gay marriage is well established. But as the U.S. Supreme Court prepares to issue decisions on two major gay marriage cases this week, less well-known is his co-authorship, in January 2013, of a court brief that laid out an argument against the constitutionality of allowing same-sex couples to marry. In the amicus brief, Cuccinelli, the attorney general of Virginia, and Greg Zoeller, the attorney general or Indiana, used a novel justification to make their point in one section of the 55-page brief — namely that gay marriage could lead to polygamy.” [ABC News, 6/25/13]
Discrimination
Cuccinelli Directed Public Universities To Eliminate Protections For Students Against Discrimination Based On Sexual Orientation. According to the Roanoke Times, “A policy banning discrimination based on sexual orientation remains in effect at Virginia Tech, at least for now, despite a directive from the state attorney general that public colleges and universities remove such protections. Tech received the letter from Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli by e-mail either Thursday evening or Friday morning, university spokesman Mark Owczarski said. Cuccinelli’s letter argues that colleges and universities have no authority to protect the rights of gays, lesbians and other sexual minorities without an act of the General Assembly.” [Roanoke Times, 3/5/10]
- Richmond Times Dispatch Editorial: Cuccinelli’s Directive Is “Socially Revolting.” According to a staff editorial in the Richmond Times Dispatch, “Yet while Cuccinelli’s letter may be correct as a matter of law, it reflects the type of political correctness that breeds contempt for the law. If it seems pointless to urge the legislature to grant the schools the authority to include sex and gender in their non-discrimination policies, then the good news is that those policies appear almost archaic. They have become primarily symbols — which is why Cuccinelli’s stance proves so socially revolting.” [Richmond Times Dispatch, 3/9/10]
Published: Jul 19, 2013