Anti-gay ministers are stepping up their oppositional rhetoric and vowing to urge Congress to undercut DC's home rule to fight marriage equality.

Sixteen ministers including Maryland's Harry Jackson and Anthony Evans organized a meeting with Council Chair Vincent Gray in which they asked him to support their call for a Prop 8 style vote to define marriage as between one man and one woman. Evans earlier pledged to "force an initiative on the city" to stop marriage equality.

A hearing before the DC Board of Elections and Ethics will held on Monday, October 26 to discuss Jackson's request for an initiative to ban marriage equality. The request will likely be denied because it would violate the DC Human Rights Ordinance which states no proposal that would "authorize discrimination" on a basis contained in our civil rights laws can be the subject of popular vote.

Also, on October 26 will be a hearing on the marriage bill before the Judiciary Committee chaired by Council Member Phil Mendelson. The hearing will began at 3:30pm in the 5th Floor Council Chambers at the Wilson Building located at 1350 Pennsylvania Ave.