During Pride Month resolution in the California Assembly, Democratic leadership interrupted the GOP’s openly gay Assemblyman several times —to randomly wish happy birthday to other lawmakers—as he spoke against the reso, saying it was divisive.
Here is the relabeled transcript with Speaker 1 identified as CA State Assemblymember Carl DeMaio:
**CA State Asm. Carl DeMaio**: Thank you, Madam Speaker. What a missed opportunity. That’s the best I can say about this resolution—a missed opportunity. The worst I can say about the resolution is that it’s inflammatory, it is dishonest, it is divisive, and it is a shame. I’ve said time and time again on this floor that I will never vote in favor of one of these honorary resolutions if it contains dishonesty, if it divides us, or if it speaks in a manner that does not reflect the views of my constituents. My constituents, the caucus I’m a member of, the Republican caucus, and all Californians, we value, we respect, we affirm our LGBT community members. That is a fact, notwithstanding some of the inflammatory rhetoric I’ve heard to the contrary. But that’s not what this resolution does. This resolution doesn’t affirm, value, and respect the LGBT community. What this resolution does is it goes much further than that to endorse very controversial and extremist policy positions, which is very unique.
**Speaker 2**: Mr. DeMaio, just a moment please. Just a moment. Mr. Reading Clerk, can you hold Mr. DeMaio’s time? Sorry, I have a very important announcement today. Mr. Juan Carrillo, I understand it’s your birthday today. Members, will you join me in wishing Mr. Carrillo a very happy birthday today? [Applause]
**CA State Asm. Carl DeMaio**: Thank you for holding my time. So where we left off—about the extremist views that are endorsed in this resolution, which includes ending girl sports, the integrity of girl sports. That is included in this resolution. That is not supported even by a majority of LGBT community members, let alone California voters. This resolution divides us when it should be uniting us. Can you imagine a time—and if you truly are being honest with yourself—as a gay community member, if I had told you five years ago, ten years ago, twenty years ago, that there will be a time in California where Republican politicians and Democrat politicians will unanimously put a yes vote on the record—not just lay off, but put a yes vote on the record—in favor of a Pride resolution, you’d say that’s impossible. But my friends, we could do that here today, but you chose not to. I offered the author—
**Speaker 2**: Mr. DeMaio, just a moment please. We’re going to have another birthday. Excuse me, Mr. DeMaio, just a moment. Mr. Reading Clerk, can you hold Mr. DeMaio’s time? Members, you’ll have to forgive me, but on Thursday last week, I forgot it was Damon Connolly’s birthday. Can you please join me in welcoming a very happy birthday to Mr. Damon Connolly? [Applause]
**CA State Asm. Carl DeMaio**: All the interruptions don’t change the fact that this resolution lets down the LGBT community. We could have achieved a historic vote today. It will be misrepresented that Republicans don’t support the LGBT community. In fact, we heard that in some of the comments on this resolution. They want to quote “disappear” LGBT people. They want to enact laws to force gays into conversion therapy. These are quotes from the comments just made on this floor. They are also lies designed to instill fear in the hearts of LGBT community members. At a time when this country, this state, we should be celebrating with pride, real pride, the fact that Americans, Californians, that we’ve achieved the embrace of the LGBT community without question. Now, that doesn’t mean that we’re going to agree on laws like ending girl sports or taking away parents’ rights or having a standard that a foster parent has to agree to a sex change operation, which are controversial positions that unfortunately are referenced and implied in this resolution.
**Speaker 2**: Mr. DeMaio, I’m going to have to interrupt you one more time. If you don’t mind waiting, Mr. Reading Clerk, can you hold his time? Members, I’m unsure if you’re aware, but tomorrow is Mr. Gibson’s birthday. Can you all join me in wishing Mr. Gibson a very, very happy birthday? [Applause]
**CA State Asm. Carl DeMaio**: If anyone had any questions as to whether this is political theater and circus, all you had to do is watch the interruptions for birthdays. Notwithstanding the fact that we celebrate your birthdays, but I think California voters of all stripes—Democrat, Republican, and in-between—understand what I’m saying today is true. This is not about affirming the LGBT community; it’s about using them as a political pawn to divide us. When you had an opportunity to unite us, you chose division.
**Speaker 3**: 30 seconds.
**CA State Asm. Carl DeMaio**: I will be voting no on the contents of this resolution not because I don’t support Pride or my own community, but because I do not support division. I do not support dishonesty.