DES MOINES, Iowa—A group that wants to ban same-sex marriage is accusing some Iowa Democrats of holding up legislation saying the lawmakers are beholden to donors who want the marriages to be legal.

Members of the Iowa Family Policy Center said Feb. 28 that top Iowa Democrats had received more than $170,000 from “out-of-state homosexual activists.”

That money has bought influence and resulted in the Iowa Legislature refusing to hold debate on amendment to the state’s constitution that would ban same sex marriage, said the group’s president, former Iowa lawmaker Chuck Hurley.

Top Democrats reacted indignantly to the group’s accusations and said the gay marriage issue is before the Iowa Supreme Court and should remain there until a decision is handed down.

Iowa House Speaker Pat Murphy (D-Dubuque) called Hurley’s comments hateful and said his group was pursuing red herrings and trying to grab cheap publicity while the legal process works itself out.

“This gets a little ridiculous,” Murphy said, his voice rising. “We are not going to take up this bill. If he wants to keep calling, he can keep calling. The phone lines are still working.”

Iowa Sen. Majority Leader Mike Gronstal (D-Council Bluffs) offered a sharply worded statement in retort.

“With this latest publicity stunt, Mr. Hurley has violated a couple of the Ten Commandments and committed at least one of the Seven Deadly Sins,” Gronstal said. “But why should that surprise Iowans? Mr. Hurley’s real motivation has always been hate-mongering and raising money from hard-working Iowans to cover his salary.”