benefits like other families do when he voted for DOMA, he commanded many widows and widowers to go without the Survivor's benefits he felt should be reserved only for those he judged worthy.

He tried to overturn it before his death. It seems he figured out it was wrong.


21 Senators Who Voted For DOMA In 1996 But Later Opposed It

http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2013/03/06/1671581/21-senators-who-voted-for-doma-in-1996-but-later-opposed-it/

BY JOSH ISRAEL MAR 6, 2013 10:50AM

21. Former Sen. Paul Wellstone (D-MN). Wrote that he regretted his DOMA vote, prior to his 2002 death.

In addition to the 40 current Senate Democrats who believe DOMA is unconstitutional, at least four have indicated their opposition to the marriage inequality law in other situations — a significant change from the just 14 courageous Senate Democrats who stood up against it in 1996.


AND: http://www.wellstone.org/blog/2013/06/doma-and-our-dad

Snip: On a brisk fall day in 1996, 85 United State Senators, including our dad, Paul Wellstone, voted to pass the Defense of Marriage Act that limited the definition of marriage. Our dad spent a career in the Senate making one principled and courageous vote after another. This was an exception. Dad spent a lot of time reflecting, soul-searching, and apologizing about that vote.

In 2001 he wrote this, “What troubles me is that I may not have cast the right vote on DOMA. When Sheila and I attended a Minnesota memorial service for Matthew Shepard, I thought to myself, 'Have I taken a position that contributed to a climate of hatred?'"

By 2002, groups like the Human Rights Campaign gave him a 100% rating for his votes in the Senate. In our dad’s journey, we see hope for a sustained movement: changing hearts, shaping policy, and effecting change, one person, one community, and one decision at a time.

The Supreme Court’s decision on Wednesday to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act is a historic step forward. But it only happened because over many years, organizers across the country worked to build a movement. At Wellstone Action, we’re proud to be a part of that movement, equipping leaders with a training foundation to effectively champion causes, elect progressives, and mobilize to action.

and here's the NTSB report on aircraft crash that killed him. Posted in advance of the tin-foil that's sure to deluge this thread.

http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/AAR0303.aspx

Sid