Breaking: Hate Crimes Bill Moving Along in the Senate

[Update below] It looks like we'll get a vote this evening. Conservative Senator Sam Brownback [R-KS] has proposed an amendment that will strengthen 1st Amendment protections. Sen. Patrick Leahy said he would support the amendment on the premise that it was already black letter law ("law school 101," he said). Brownback will undoubtedly claim a huge victory for fellow Christian conservatives and this will allow the Christian right to posture the whole thing as a win.

Utah Senator Orrin Hatch is trying desperately to kill the bill with an amendment that submits the bill to further study. A roll call is in progress as I type and it looks certain to fail. The next step will be Brownback's amendment by voice vote and, finally, a vote on the Hate Crimes amendment to the 2010 Defense Programs Bill.

[Updates]:

10:30 EDT: The Hatch Amendment has indeed failed 29 to 62. Hypocrite John Ensign predictably voted in favor while several Republicans including Lugar, Voinovich and others were opposed which means that they are in favor of the hate crimes legislation.

Leahy has now proposed an amendment to simply say that the billl will not infringe on 1st Amendment protections. That passed by voice vote. A roll call vote on the Brownback amendment is now in progress.