Spanky the Clown petitions to excommunicate Mayor Richard Daley

A South Side man is circulating a petition asking Chicago's Cardinal Francis George to kick Mayor Richard Daley out of the Roman Catholic Church. Daley's statements in support of gay marriage outraged perennial political candidate and professional clown Raymond Wardingley.

Wardingley, a self-described lifelong Catholic who's run against Daley several times, said in a letter sent to George on Monday that he wants Daley excommunicated for his approval of same-sex unions.

"If Mayor Daley or any Catholic breaks church law, they shouldn't be allowed to be in the church," Wardingley said. "You cannot get around God's law, and gay marriage is against God's law."

Diane Dunagan, a spokeswoman for George, said the cardinal met with Daley in private last week but would not comment publicly beyond a statement that gay marriage is not possible according to church teaching.

Dunagan said the Archdiocese of Chicago has received about a dozen calls from people with complaints similar to Wardingley's, asking George to discipline the mayor.

"The cardinal has made his stand clear, and he comments to politicians in private," she said.

Daley's office did not return a phone call requesting comment.

A former beer commercial actor, Wardingley once worked under the name "Spanky the Clown" and is running against 1st District Congressman Bobby Rush for the third time.
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