Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner officiated a wedding between two men last month, and some conservatives are angry.
Mark Cozzi, who serves on the State Universities Retirement System Board of Trustees, told the Chicago Sun-Times that the Republican governor officiated his wedding to James Goeke on June 30 at a private club in Chicago.
He also posted a picture of the governor at his wedding on his Instagram account, which has since been made private.
“We are elated that Governor Rauner was able to officiate our wedding. He and his wife Diana are great friends of ours and wonderful people,” the couple wrote in an email to the Chicago Tribune.
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Conservatives were quick to respond.
David Smith, executive director of the Illinois Family Institute, accused the governor of “celebrating cultural Marxism” and called him an “imposter.”
#Illinois Gov Rauner Participates in Same-Sex Mirage https://t.co/6mEyQEnkS9 #ILRight #Election2018 #ccot
— David E. Smith ن (@ProFamilyIL) July 13, 2018
#Illinois Gov. Rauner's celebration of cultural Marxism & same-sex mirage is just another poke in the eye to conservative voters. Consider his support of sanctuary state & transgender birth certificates & tell me how he's not an impostor? #ILRight #Election2018
— David E. Smith ن (@ProFamilyIL) July 12, 2018
Rauner has spent years avoiding giving his opinion on marriage equality. In his 2014 campaign, he said that his view on the issue was “irrelevant.”
Equality Illinois applauded him for officiating the wedding.
“As chief executive of our state, it is appropriate for Gov. Rauner to administer government-sanctioned functions, including marriage,” the LGBTQ organization’s Mike Ziri said.
