When legislation allowing the District to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states came to a first vote before the D.C. Council, it received unanimous support. On its second vote, Council member Marion Barry (D-Ward 8) — a “moral politician,” or so he called himself at the time — switched sides and voted against it. Now as a battle heats up over a possible referendum on the issue and future legislation that would fully legalize same-sex marriage in the District, some members of the council are starting to waffle on whether to support the cause.

Council member Harry Thomas (D-Ward 5) was the first to show some discomfort with the issue. After a report in the Washington Blade stated that Thomas was fully on board with same-sex marriage in the District, both he and his spokeswomen rushed out to claim that the article’s author had misunderstood Thomas’ position. Not so, said the Blade, pointing out that Thomas had gone on record in 2006 supporting same-sex marriage. Mike DeBonis at City Desk had a chance to talk to Thomas about the waffling, and got this from him:

We’re going to have to make sure whatever we do passes the congressional smell test. And so I am looking at how we look at possible referendums and other options where we have a true voice of the people on this issue, to strengthen our position when we go forward.

Sounds like a much more nuanced pronouncement than his past record would indicate, doesn’t it? It makes sense, though. The Ward 5 Democrats are still the only Democratic committee to have voted against the council’s endorsement of marriage equality, and plenty of the most fervent opposition seems to be rising from that part of town. Thomas seems to be playing safe politics.

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