When Montrose Republican Don Coram cast a deciding vote Monday night to kill Colorado’s civil unions bill, he “let down” a gay community that includes his only child, his son told The Denver Post.
Dee Coram the openly gay son of Republican representative from the 58th district Don Coram, in Colorado, pitched his father for a yes vote, but to no avail. “Yesterday was the first and only time I ever called him and said, “Can you do this?” said 44-year-old Dee Coram. “He said, ‘I love you, but absolutely not.’ ”
The Denver Post reports that “Civil unions for same-sex couples seemed destined for success toward the end of the Colorado legislative session, which closed last week. It had cleared three Republican-controlled House committees and appeared to have a majority of votes on the House floor.”
But House Speaker Frank McNulty, R-Highlands Ranch, refused to let lawmakers cast their votes. Gov. John Hickenlooper countered by calling a special session. The reincarnated civil unions bill on Monday landed in McNulty’s so-called “kill committee,” where he expected the bill to die.
According to the Denver Post piece : “One by one the votes came down. In the end, Don Coram — noting how proud he was of his gay son — lined up with his fellow Republican party members. The hard-fought legislation died 5-4.
Dee Coram expressed disappointment and said the two haven’t spoken since Monday.
“I was told by my grandfather, there’s always a time to lead and there’s always a time to follow,” Dee Coram said. “He was given a time to lead, and he didn’t do it. He could have and should have been the deciding vote.”
Read more: Gay son “let down” by father’s vote against Colorado civil unions bill – The Denver Post http://www.denverpost.com/breakingnews/ci_20629843/gay-son-let-down-by-fathers-vote-against#ixzz1v3HWO5nz
