US: Bill Gates donates $500,000 towards legalising equal marriage in Washington
Microsoft owner, Bill Gates, and his wife Melinda, have personally given $500,000 (£313,000) towards efforts to legalise equal marriage in the state of Washington, pushing the total raised by equal rights advocates to $10.8 million (£6.7 million).
The money will go towards Referendum 74, which hopes to legalise same-sex marriage in the state. Washington United For Marriage announced that it had raised the total amount, on Tuesday morning, SeattlePI reported.
Washington United for Marriage chiefs are thrilled by gifts of this size.
Speaking of an earlier gift, Lacey All, chair of Washington United for Marriage, said: “This is just such an incredible gift and comes at a time when we’re seeing significant national money flow to our opponents.”
According to reports, the Gates’ had already donated $100,000 (£62,700) to equal marriage charities.
On 6 November, Washington, Maine and Maryland voters will decide whether or not to legalise equal marriage in those states. At the same time, Minnesota voters will choose whether to make a constitutional amendment which would define marriage as only between one man and one woman.
