New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg made a $125,000 challenge grant Monday to support gay marriage in Minnesota, news sources report.
"I was proud to support the successful push for marriage equality in New York State, and I'm proud to stand with supporters around the country," Bloomberg said in a statement. "I do not believe that government has any business telling one class of couples that they cannot marry," Bloomberg said, Maine Today reported.
Bloomberg gave $250,000 to a similar effort in Maryland earlier this month. Today, he also gave challenge grants to Washington and Maine. These states are also voting on gay marriage this year, the Associated Press reported.
The "challenge grant" lets campaigns urge other donors to match the donation dollar for dollar. This donate is one of the single largest individual contributions to Minnesotans United for All Families, the group opposed to the amendment, the Associated Press reported.
Bloomberg donated this money from his personal fortune. He is an independent billionaire who made his money as founder and owner of the Bloomberg business news media empire, Maine Today reported.
"The 14th Amendment guarantees us all equal protection under the law, and marriage equality is the next big step in America's long march of freedom," Bloomberg said in a statement. "The barriers to it are bound to fail; the question is not if but when," Bloomberg said, WNYC reported.
On Nov. 6, Minnesota voters will vote on a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage. Alternatively, voters in Maine, Maryland and Washington are all voting on whether to allow gay marriage, Maine Today reported.
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