A foe of a proposed constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage blasted Attorney General Robert F. McDonnell yesterday for pushing an official state explanation for voters that she contends is biased.

Claire Guthrie Gasta?aga, the manager of the campaign to defeat the amendment in the Nov. 7 election, contends that the Republican should have removed himself from the process because of his active support for the measure, including appearing at a recent fundraiser.

"Bob McDonnell is campaigning for this amendment. He is the attorney general. He should have recused himself from this process, his office from this process, on the grounds that they are not neutral," Gasta?aga told reporters yesterday morning after the House Privileges & Elections Committee approved his version.

Gasta?aga, a former chief deputy attorney general, is the director of the Commonwealth Coalition and lobbies for Equality Virginia, the state's leading gay-rights group.

"The attorney general is expected to speak out on important constitutional amendments that come before the General Assembly and the people of Virginia," Mims said in an interview. "This attorney general is certainly capable of and has provided a clear and neutral statement in his official capacity as required by statute."

Yesterday's action underscores the escalating emotion over the proposal, which generated some of the General Assembly's most passionate debate this session.

The amendment would define marriage as between one man and one woman, as well as ban civil unions, domestic partnerships and any relationship between unmarried couples that approximates marriage.

Supporters say a constitutional amendment is needed to prevent "activist judges" from overturning state laws that already prohibit same-sex marriage and civil unions.

Opponents counter such a measure will have broad implications and void or make vulnerable contracts between unmarried people, gay and heterosexual alike.

At issue yesterday was the wording of the official explanation of the amendment that would be printed and widely distributed throughout the state.

State law requires that it be explained "in plain English" and "be limited to a neutral explanation." It also says the explanation "shall not include arguments submitted by either proponents or opponents of the proposal."

The Division of Legislative Services prepared a draft in March. Then the attorney general's office offered its version. McDonnell, a leader of the state's social conservatives, is expected by many to seek the GOP nomination for governor in 2009.

During the winter McDonnell clashed with Democratic Gov. Timothy M. Kaine, issuing an opinion claiming that the governor's order banning discrimination against gays in the state work force was unconstitutional. Kaine countered the opinion held no merit and that he planned to continue his nondiscrimination edict to all state agencies.

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