Stemberger angry about Sanford-style infidelity, seeks your donations

So South Carolina. Gov. Mark Sanford loves Maria, his "soul mate" from Argentina, but is trying to fall back in love with his wife. And Jon and Kate Gosselin from the reality-TV hit Jon & Kate Plus Eight are getting divorced amid tabloid reports of infidelity.

This disappoints conservative activist John Stemberger, so much so that he wants your donation. In an e-mail from his Florida Family Policy Council, the Orlando attorney who has pushed initiatives including the proposed constitutional amendment banning gay marriage, seeks donations to "turn this tide of devastation and hostility toward marriage."

Here's the e-mail:

Buzz's 5 questions for Derek Newton

As part of our Five Questions series, Buzz caught up with Miami-based Democratic consultant Derek Newton to chat about the invincibility of Charlie Crist and Pam Iorio, the U.S. Senate race, and how Harvey Milk's style of politics would play in Florida.

More on the Crist wedding protest

We heard an earful for having suggested a planned protest outside Charlie Crist's wedding and reception was a tacky idea. Lorna Bracewell of ImpACT Florida corrected us, saying it is a demonstration and not a protest.

"We are explicitly and enthusiastically pro-marriage," said Bracewell. "Our goal is to celebrate the governor’s and every Floridian’s fundamental right to marry, a right that, unfortunately, millions of Floridians have been denied in the most categorical way that our political process offers by Amendment 2."

At least 400 demonstraters are expected and will be given stickers that say, "Congratulations, Governor! When can I get married?" to wear on their pink shirts. There will be no chanting outside the wedding at First United Methodist Church, Bracewell said, and signs will be "in keeping with the positive and peaceful spirit of the demonstration." They also plan a candlelight vigil across from the reception at the Renaissance Vinoy hotel, and demonstraters will likely sing Somewhere Over the Rainbow.

*

Rallies against Amendment 2 set

The Hillsborough County GLBTA Democratic Caucus has scheduled what it calls a "Shame On 2 Rally" for 1:30 p.m. Saturday at Joe Chillura Courthouse Square in downtown Tampa. A press release says the rally is for "Frustrated and Disillusioned Fair-Minded Floridians" who opposed the amendment that bans gay marriage in Florida. The amendment passed by a large margin during the general election.

According to the press release: "Voters may have succeeded in enshrining religious beliefs into our state's constitution. However, promises were made that existing domestic partner benefits and rights of heterosexual and same-gender couples would not be stripped away. Our presence at the rally will serve to remind voters of these promises and that they must be kept."

Organizers say the rally coincides with events scheduled throughout Florida and other parts of the country. In St. Petersburg, the rally begins at 1:30 p.m. at Mirror Lake.

*

Did Florida4Marriage cloak donations?

Florida Red&Blue, the organization running the SayNo2 campaign alleged Tuesday morning that Florida4Marriage.org, the sponsor of Amendment 2, is trying to avoid disclosing the names of political donors.

The group says that ads being run by the Florida4Marriage are actually being paid for by Florida Family Action, a separate, non-for-profit organization.

Alicia Apfel, an attorney for Florida Red&Blue, said the group was filing a complaint with the Florida Elections Commission, and they were asking state attorneys in the areas where the alleged possible violations took place to investigate.

The group says that $350,000 of the ads may have been funded by secret donors. "The least we expect to know is who's writing the checks," said Derek Newton, the group's campaign manager.

Austin Bogues, Times staff writer

*

Voting in Tampa Bay? Know Your Candidates

Just in time for the start of early voting on Monday, the St. Petersburg Times' Know Your Candidates Web site is up and running. Click here to review federal, state and local races and ballot questions in Pinellas, Hillsborough, Pasco and Hernando counties. A print version of the information will be in Wednesday's Times.

--Joni James, Times state editor

Gay marriage ban money: pro and con

Two wealthy Republicans are the financial fuel behind both sides of the ballot measure that would ban gay marriage in the Florida Constitution.

Backing the measure is the patriarch who founded Amway Corp. On the other side is a little-known telecom multimillionaire. Read full story here.

*

Donations pour into ballot initiatives

TALLAHASSEE — The daughter of Wal-Mart's founder wrote a check for $836,000 in May to a group working to pass two questions on the November ballot to expand school vouchers in Florida.

Alice Walton's donation was the largest single check among nearly $12-million raised in Florida in the past three months by interest groups and individual candidates for state offices. That number does not include millions more raised by both major political parties in Florida, which don't have to report their latest fundraising until Aug. 22, just four days before the primary election.

Among the most interesting reports: The group pushing to place a gay marriage ban in the state Constitution has raised just one dollar to every four raised by its opponents. More here.

Ros-Lehtinen opposes marriage amendment

Republican U.S. Rep Ileana Ros-Lehtinen: “In Florida, the term marriage is already defined as a relationship between a man and a woman. Amendment 2 will involve the government in our personal lives by dissolving locally recognized domestic partnerships, endangering the legal rights of unmarried couples, and weakening business responsibilities such as healthcare and retirement benefits...Amendment 2 is short but it could have far reaching effects, including taking healthcare away from children and other unintended consequences.”

'Gay marriage' ruling could affect Florida

Florida opponents to a proposed ban gay marriage ban say a Michigan court ruling  invalidating benefits for same sex-sex partners provides a strong justification to defeat the measure.

"This should be a major, bright red warning sign to Florida voters. If you don't want to take away existing protections and benefits, don’t vote for Amendment 2," Heddy Pena, a member of Florida Red and Blue group running the SayNo2 campaign, said in a news release.

Today, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled 5-2 that the state's 2004 ban against gay marriage also blocks domestic-partner policies affecting gay employees at the University of Michigan and other public-sector employers. The decision affirms a February 2007 appeals court ruling.