Stonewall Democrats Abstain From Voting For Ellsworth

I previously told you that Indiana Stonewall Democratic members of the party's state central committee were threatening to withhold support at today's coronation of U.S. Rep. Brad Ellsworth as the handpicked choice of the party for the U.S. Senate seat currently held by Sen. Evan Bayh. The Stonewall Democrats, who are upset with Ellsworth's lack of support for GLBT issues, made good on their threat and abstained from voting for him at today's state central committee meeting. The group is disappointed by the party taking it for granted and Ellsworth's treatment of them. Chris Worden at Indy's Painfully Objective Analysis blog shares a statement issued by the Stonewall Democrats after today's meeting:

Regrettably, there has been, up to this point, a disconnect between not only the Democratic Party’s words and deeds, but in the Congressman’s personal conduct toward gay, lesbian, and transgender Hoosiers and his votes and public statements on their issues. Specifically, Congressman Ellsworth voted against the Hates Crimes bill and the version of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) that provides protection to transgender Hoosiers, and he has not expressed publicly his willingness to vote for the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” Moreover, and perhaps most tellingly, when asked during our meeting whether he supports adoption by gay couples, Congressman Ellsworth stated he “needs more information.”

An online story at the Star's website by Gretchen Baker makes no mention of the Stonewall Democrats abstaining from a vote on Ellsworth. More sloppy journalism. "Ellsworth, long the presumptive nominee, was chosen over Bob Kern of Marion County by the committee," she writes. "After the secret ballots were tallied and the vote announced, committee members and other Democrats gave Ellsworth a standing ovation." Kern, by the way, has been a perennial candidate for Congress like Marvin Scott. He lost to Andre Carson most recently in the May primary.

UPDATE: Baker tacked on a one paragraph brief mention of the abstention in the online print story today.