Mayors Split on Amendment to Ban Same-Sex Marriage

BOSTON, June 28 -- A deeply divided gathering of the nation's mayors could not reach consensus Monday on a proposed resolution opposing a federal constitutional ban on same-sex marriage.

The U.S. Conference of Mayors voted 46 to 44 to table the resolution, and an attempt to revive it was also defeated, 47 to 45.

Stamford Mayor Dannel P. Malloy, a Democrat running for governor in Connecticut and an opponent of a constitutional amendment, said he believes the mayors wanted to avoid the issue in a year many of them are seeking reelection.

The close votes, Malloy said, also indicate that "there is no broad-based support in the nation to amend the Constitution of the United States to discriminate."

Ed Henderson (R), mayor of Napa, Calif., called the non-decision "a wimpy thing to do." Henderson supports gay marriage.

The resolution was co-sponsored by three Democratic mayors -- Thomas M. Menino of Boston, Richard M. Daley of Chicago and Gavin Newsom of San Francisco.

In February, Newsom permitted San Francisco to issue same-sex marriage licenses. More than 4,000 were handed out before the California Supreme Court ordered a halt.