Saturday, May 21, 2005
Madla Defends Vote for HJR 6
We caught up with Sen. Frank Madla (D-San Antonio) this afternoon after the Senate passed the constitutional amendment banning gay marriage. Madla was one of three Democrats--Victoria's Ken Armbrister and Brownsville's Eddie Lucio were the others--who joined 18 Republicans in voting for HJR 6.
On Thursday, it appeared Democrats had the votes to kill HJR 6. But on Friday, Madla removed his name from the list of Dems opposing the measure. Without Madla, Democrats lacked the 11 votes needed to prevent HJR 6 from reaching the Senate floor. So while critics will direct anger at Sen. Todd Staples for sponsoring the measure--and not taking amendments--and toward Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst for bringing it to the Senate floor, the measure likely wouldn't have passed without Madla's turnabout.
Asked why he supported the constitutional ban, Madla said he simply voted with his district: "Sixty-four percent of my communications [from the district] were for the resolution. If you're going to stay in this business, you've got to go the direction your constituents want you to take. I've never been too good at math, but I know 64 is a lot higher than 36."
Madla denied that he had changed his mind. He said he hadn't decided how to vote for sure until the Senate began debate on HJR 6 this afternoon. When the measure came up, Madla said, he called down to his office and was told that 64 percent of communications from his district supported the measure. Only then, Madla said, did he decide to vote for it. Did Dewhurst press him to vote for HJR 6? "No, he did not," Madla said.
Asked his personal views on the gay marriage amendment, Madla said, "I don't think it belongs in the constitution, but that's a decision for the people of Texas to make now." How will he vote on the measure in the November election? "I believe in the secret ballot," Madla said with a smile.
On Thursday, it appeared Democrats had the votes to kill HJR 6. But on Friday, Madla removed his name from the list of Dems opposing the measure. Without Madla, Democrats lacked the 11 votes needed to prevent HJR 6 from reaching the Senate floor. So while critics will direct anger at Sen. Todd Staples for sponsoring the measure--and not taking amendments--and toward Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst for bringing it to the Senate floor, the measure likely wouldn't have passed without Madla's turnabout.
Asked why he supported the constitutional ban, Madla said he simply voted with his district: "Sixty-four percent of my communications [from the district] were for the resolution. If you're going to stay in this business, you've got to go the direction your constituents want you to take. I've never been too good at math, but I know 64 is a lot higher than 36."
Madla denied that he had changed his mind. He said he hadn't decided how to vote for sure until the Senate began debate on HJR 6 this afternoon. When the measure came up, Madla said, he called down to his office and was told that 64 percent of communications from his district supported the measure. Only then, Madla said, did he decide to vote for it. Did Dewhurst press him to vote for HJR 6? "No, he did not," Madla said.
Asked his personal views on the gay marriage amendment, Madla said, "I don't think it belongs in the constitution, but that's a decision for the people of Texas to make now." How will he vote on the measure in the November election? "I believe in the secret ballot," Madla said with a smile.