The Salt Lake Tribune Quotes Matthew Sanderson and Bryson Morgan on the Unconstitutionality of DOMA

Excerpt taken from the article "Gay Marriage: Utah Groups Send Justices Their Arguments" by Matt Canham for The Salt Lake Tribune

Campaign finance experts » A bipartisan group of former federal election commissioners signed a brief arguing that DOMA inhibits married gay and lesbian couples from donating to campaigns in the same way that straight couples can, undercutting an individual's right to political expression.

The brief was drafted in part by University of Utah alumni Bryson Morgan and Matt Sanderson, members of the Caplin & Drysdale law firm.

The brief argues that gay spouses are now barred from attending fundraisers hosted by corporations and unions, which are restricted to executives and their spouses. Gay candidates for office also can't spend as much as they want from bank accounts jointly controlled with their spouse, though straight candidates can.

Sanderson, a Mormon, called DOMA an "unconstitutional blunderbuss" and he doesn't think that opinion creates any tension with his faith.  "…[E]veryone I know in the church would, I think, agree with the brief's core premise — that an American's right to free speech and association should never hinge on sexual orientation."