Wednesday, August 26, 2009

Voice for Equality: Ernesto Scorsone

Ernesto Scorsone is a Kentucky politician who has served in various state offices. He received his bachelor’s and law degrees from the University of Kentucky. In 1984, Scorsone was elected to the Kentucky House of Representatives. After six terms in the Kentucky House, Scorsone was elected by a wide margin to the State Senate in 1996. Ernesto was reelected to the Senate in 2000 and 2004. In 2008, Ernesto was elected to a six-year term on the Fayette County Circuit Court.

In 1998, Scorsone lost a close race for the 6th seat of the U.S. House of Representatives, which would have made him one of the first gay federal elected officials. Scorsone is the first and as of 2009 only gay official ever to have served the state of Kentucky. He sits on the boards of the HIV/AIDS Legal Project of Kentucky, the Fayette County Bar Association, and the Urban League of Lexington-Fayette County.

Senator Scorsone was a vocal critic of the amendment passed by the state legislature that banned same-sex marriage, civil unions, and domestic partnerships. Here you can see a video clip of him speaking out against the amendment on the floor of the Kentucky Statehouse:




Freedom to Marry salutes Judge Ernesto Scorsone as a Voice for Equality!

**Make your NOMINATION for a Voice for Equality today.

1 comment:

Kentucky's Gay Politics said...

Ernesto?

Marriage Equality Kentucky and Kentucky Equality Federation is now leading the fight for marriage equality in Kentucky:

http://kentuckylgbt.org/ht/d/Join/pid/1267412

Any Kentuckian who has not signed the Kentucky Marriage Declaration should immediately.