Group Spends $2 Million Lobbying For Gay Marriage

ST. PAUL (AP) — The group that pushed Minnesota lawmakers to legalize gay marriage invested more than $2 million in its successful lobbying effort.

Minnesotans United for All Families leader Richard Carlbom disclosed the figure Wednesday to The Associated Press.

That amount should rank Minnesotans United at or near the top of legislative lobbying this year if history is any guide. The Minnesota Chamber of Commerce and Xcel Energy are the only entities to recently surpass $2 million in a single year, and some of that includes lobbying state utilities regulators.

The Minnesotans United money fueled personal lobbying, phone banks and television commercials. The group used 14 lobbyists.

Gay marriage advocates went from narrowly defeating a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage last fall to winning the new law in mid-May.