Timed with today’s landmark strike against DOMA, the ACLU’s website reports they’ve hired a top Republican strategist:
With the goal of working both with and within the Republican Party, the ACLU has hired Steve Schmidt, vice chairman of public affairs at Edelman. Schmidt has provided strategic counsel to Fortune 500 companies, professional sports teams, and nonprofits. Previously, he has worked on Capitol Hill as the communications director for the National Republican Congressional Committee, served as one of the top strategists during President Bush’s 2004 re-election and as a deputy assistant to President George W. Bush. Schmidt also directed strategic communications for the nomination of Chief Justice Roberts and led the nomination of Justice Alito. In 2006, he was campaign manager for the re-election of California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and served as the senior advisor to Sen. John McCain’s presidential campaign.
At least five cases on gay marriage are currently percolating through the federal courts toward SCOTUS, so there’s little doubt that the big question—are bans on gay marriage unconstitutional?—will reach the high court and the parties will, finally, have standing. There’s also little doubt that the Supreme Court is, more than just a judicial body, usually echo of popular opinion on controversial social issues.
So if the the ACLU shifts the consensus among moderate conservatives toward gay marriage, it stands to reason that they’ll also move the Supreme Court toward gay marriage.