Chicagoist to Mayor Daley: Read the Fine Print!

By Rachelle Bowden in News on Oct 29, 2004 2:40PM

Last night as Mayor Daley was leaving the Chicago Gay and Lesbian Hall of Fame event, a gay activist approached him and asked him to sign a petition. Daley said he'd "sign anything" and scrawled his name. But he didn't read the fine print and didn't realize that the petition demanded that County Clerk David Orr go against state law and "immediately issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples." Just like what happened earlier this year in San Fran.

The Chicago Anti-Bashing Network then put out press releases saying that the mayor changed his position and wants to start issuing sam-sex marriage licenses.

This morning Daley insisted that he didn't even read the petition and had no idea that it was designed to put pressure on Orr.

"I walked out and said, 'I'll sign anything.' I just put my name down. ... They asked me to sign it. I'm for gay marriage, so I have no problem with that. ... You know what my position has been on it," he said.

Asked if he wants Orr to start issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, Daley said: "That's up to him. I don't know if he can do it legally. That would [have to be done] statewide."

Of course, the Chicago Anti-Bashing Network is denying they tried to trick the mayor and is ripping him for saying he didn't read the petition before signing it.

The photo in this post is unrelated to the story but we couldn't stop wondering who would want to put Mayor Daley's face on their Halloween pumpkin so we had to include it! More on Hugh McMahon's "funkins."