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Category Archives: LGBT
The 'Other' Ted: No on 8 Attorney Prepares for Supreme Court Oral Arguments
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When Theodore Boutrous, Jr. hopped on the phone the other day from Washington, he was giddy. “We just got a unanimous ruling at the Supreme Court!” He was referring to the 9-0 decision on behalf of his client, an insurance company fighting a class action case.
I asked Boutrous, who goes by “Ted”, how many times he’s argued in front of the Supreme Court. “Twice, “ he said. “And I’ve got 18 votes!” When I suggested he should retire while he has a perfect record, he emailed back “It’s tempting!”
Since the start of the Prop. 8 debate in federal court four years ago, Boutrous has been overshadowed by his high profile colleague, attorney Theodore Olson. Both are partners at Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher (Boutrous in the Los Angeles office, Olson in D.C.) and have worked together for nearly 30 years. Olson is renowned in legal circles as a leading conservative, which makes his pairing with David Boies (whom he faced on opposite sides of the Bush v. Gore case in 2000) so interesting.
Boutrous may not get the “ink” they get, but he’s been an integral part of the legal strategy against Prop. 8.
Prop. 8 Co-Author: Striking Down Prop. 8 Would Be Judicial Activism
Andy Pugno, a co-author of Proposition 8 and general counsel at ProtectMarriage.com, is part of the legal team defending the same-sex marriage ban at the U.S. Supreme Court Tuesday.
Pugno discusses with KQED's Scott Shafer the major themes of their legal argument as well as what changing public opinion means for the case.
Even though prominent Republicans, Fortune 500 companies and the public is becoming more accepting of same-sex marriage, Pugno said he thinks it will not have much of an effect on the justices.
"I think the justices are accustomed to avoiding being sucked into a political debate," Pugno said. "I think they'll be mindful of their limited role as judges to interpret existing law, not to make new law."
Same-Sex Marriage: 5 Possible Outcomes From the Supreme Court Hearings
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To us non lawyers it looks pretty simple: either gay people can legally marry each other or they can't.
But as the Supreme Court prepares to rule on California's Proposition 8, the justices will weigh multiple options. Some decisions would settle the question throughout the country for the foreseeable future. Some could leave it dangling for years to come.
The high court will hear arguments on the case on Tuesday, with a decision expected in June.
To start with, the court isn't just taking on Prop. 8, the California constitutional amendment that banned same-sex marriage. It's also tackling the Defense of Marriage Act, the federal law that denies federal benefits of marriage to same-sex couples. The court will hear arguments on the DOMA on Wednesday. And the two decisions are intertwined.
Prop. 8 at the Supreme Court: What's at Stake
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On Valentine's Day last month, about a dozen gay and lesbian couples showed up at San Francisco City Hall. They wanted something they knew they couldn't have: A marriage license.
The protest, organized by Marriage Equality USA, happens every year. And every year the couples are turned away.
Thom Watson from Daly City came with his partner.
"You're really never fully prepared for what it's going to feel like yet again to be turned down for something that you want so badly and that other people take for granted," Watson said.
The right to get that legal document from a county clerk is what Tuesday's U.S. Supreme Court hearing is all about: whether California's Proposition 8 — a constitutional amendment defining marriage as a union of a man and a woman — violates equal protection under the law guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution.
Prop. 8: How We Got Here (Video)
You might say the long journey of Proposition 8 began May 15, 2008, when a ruling came down from the California Supreme Court declaring that gay and lesbian couples had a legal right to get married.
Mayor Gavin Newsom celebrated at City Hall with a crowd of thrilled San Franciscans, “This door’s wide open now. It’s gonna happen whether you like it or not. This is the future, and it’s now.”
It was a historic ruling, but not a done deal.
The ruling infuriated supporters of traditional marriage, including Randy Thomasson, with Protect Marriage.
“It will spur Californians to go to the polls to override the judges and protect marriage licenses for one man and one woman in the California constitution,” Thomasson said.
Video: Newsom on Same-Sex Marriage
As San Francisco mayor, Gavin Newsom made headlines worldwide when he ordered the city clerk's office to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Between Feb. 12 and March 11, 2004, nearly 4,000 same-sex couples got married at City Hall despite a state law defining marriage as between a man and a woman.
Now, Newsom discusses why he gave the order and how reaction in the LGBT community was not all positive. He also revisits his notorious "whether you like it or not" line, which he concedes gave opponents of same-sex marriage measure a powerful weapon in their 2008 campaign for Proposition 8.
Prop. 8 at the Supreme Court: What You Need to Know
In California's June 2000 primary, 61 percent of the electorate voted "yes" on Proposition 22, a measure that amended state law to read, "Only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognized " in the state. The state Supreme Court overturned the law in 2008 as discriminatory, opening the way for same-sex couples to get legally married in the state. About 18,000 gay and lesbian couples took advantage of the chance to tie the knot.
But the door that had been opened to same-sex couples slammed shut in November 2008, when voters passed Proposition 8. The measure, a constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage, passed with 52 percent of the vote.
Gay-marriage advocates immediately filed challenges with the California Supreme Court, which agreed to hear the case, and in May 2009, the court upheld Prop. 8, another blow against same-sex marriage.
Timeline: The Long Battle Over Same-Sex Marriage in California
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When the Supreme Court arguments on the constitutionality of Proposition 8, it will mark one more step in a long legal battle to determine the ultimate disposition of the same-sex marriage ban.
And while the legal battle over Proposition 8 has been long and winding enough, the battle over same-sex marriage in California actually goes back even further, as you'll see in this timeline.
Michelle Shocked 'Damned Sorry' For San Francisco Remarks About Gays
Michelle Shocked's controversial statements about gays were misinterpreted, the folk singer said on Wednesday in statements to KQED and other news outlets. She is not anti-gay, but was trying to explain other people's homophobia in comments during a concert on … Continue reading
Venues Cancel Michelle Shocked Shows After San Francisco Remarks
All but one of the U.S. venues on Michelle Shocked's planned tour have canceled her appearances after anti-gay remarks were attributed to her on Sunday. During a concert at Yoshi's San Francisco, Shocked reportedly said, "When they stop Prop 8 … Continue reading
