Mayor Foxx, other Charlotte leaders still mum on marriage

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Mayor Anthony Foxx and a majority of local city and county leaders remain silent on their positions regarding full marriage equality, even after several high profile announcements of support in the past two weeks.

Foxx was among only five local officials who responded two weeks ago to original requests about marriage equality and the historic cases at the U.S. Supreme Court challenging California’s Proposition 8 and the federal Defense of Marriage Act. At the time, Foxx’s office responded simply, “No comment.” Four other officials also responded; Republican Mecklenburg County Commissioner Bill James was among them.

Charlotte City Councilmember Andy Dulin responded to qnotes on Wednesday morning.

“I am still ‘one man, one woman,'” Dulin said via email.

Other local officials, including the city’s first and only openly gay elected official, Councilmember LaWana Mayfield, have yet to respond to qnotes‘ requests.

At a reception for new City Manager Ron Carlee on Tuesday afternoon, Foxx told qnotes he would be issuing a statement in the next couple of weeks.

Local LGBT advocates have encouraged local officials to be more outspoken on their position.

“Many of Charlotte-Mecklenburg’s LGBT citizens and straight allies support marriage equality and also want to know whether their local elected officials share their same views,” the group said in a March 27 statement sent by chair Scott Bishop.

The group intends to keep questions on marriage equality and other LGBT issues in place on this year’s City Council candidate questionnaires. Candidates’ answers are used to determine endorsements.

MeckPAC added, “As more and more Federal elected officials come out in support of marriage equality, MeckPAC hopes that more local elected officials will also come out on the right side of history on this issue.”

Since the Supreme Court hearings, several U.S. Senate Democrats, including North Carolina’s Kay Hagan, have announced their support for marriage equality. Two Senate Republicans have, as well. On Tuesday, conservative commentator and former Fox News host Glenn Beck also announced his support, following his former colleague Bill O’Reilly’s support two weeks ago.