Mar 27, 2009  |  By: Lou Chibbaro Jr.  | COMMENTS     

An e-mail circulating among the city’s gay-supportive religious leaders says D.C. Council member David Catania (I-At Large) plans to introduce a bill to legalize same-sex marriage in early April.

But Catania spokesperson Ben Young said Wednesday that Catania “has not come to any definitive decision on a date” for introducing his long-planned same-sex marriage bill.

The circulating e-mail, sent March 19 by Rabbi Robert Saks of D.C.’s gay synagogue Bet Mishpachah, says, “Rev. John Wimberly and I met yesterday with Councilman David Catania. He is preparing to introduce legislation around April 7 which would legalize same-sex marriages in D.C.”

Saks says in his e-mail that Catania is expecting opposition to the bill from conservative clergy and was seeking support for the legislation from other clergy.

“I am turning to you to recruit your assistance, and to ask for your guidance with the names of other ministers in the Christian community who might support this effort,” Saks says in the e-mail.

Saks could not be immediately reached by phone and did not immediately respond to an e-mail seeking comment.

Some gay activists have urged Catania not to introduce a same-sex marriage bill until local and national gay groups better prepare for fighting an expected ballot referendum to overturn the bill. Activists have also said they need more time to organize opposition to an expected effort by members of Congress to invoke congressional authority to overturn a D.C. gay marriage bill.