D.C. Superior Court Judge Judith Retchin ruled today that there will not be a voter referendum held on legislation recently passed by the D.C. Council recognizing gay marriages performed in other jurisdictions.
A group of ministers who oppose the legislation had asked the court to overrule the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics and force a referendum on the bill. The leader of the group, Bishop Harry Jackson of Hope Christian Church in Beltsville, Md., told radio station WTOP that the ministers will now try to get a voter initiative on the 2010 ballot that would define marriage in the nation's capital as between a man and a woman.
The legislation, passed by the D.C. Council May 5, was introduced by Councilmember Phil Mendelson (D-at large). But fellow councilmember, lawyer David Catania (I-at large), is credited with taking the measure a step further. The original legislation would've recognized same-sex couples married elsewhere as domestic partners in the District. Catania convinced the council to change the bill so that those couples would be recognized as married.
Both Mendelson and Catania were recognized for their efforts in a special issue of The National Law Journal.
In response to Jon: Oppposite sex marriage is also not a constitutional right. Perhaps we should rally a vote to decide if heterosexuals should have the right to marry. Just because same-sex marriage doesn't appeal to you doesn't mean you get to decide whether other loving, monogamous couples get to have the same rights --legal, social, emotional, economic stability, the formation of a family -- as you.
Posted by: AJ | July 02, 2009 at 11:15 AM
Democracy -- NOT!! The U.S. is not, nor was it ever, supposed to be a democracy. The U.S. is a republic, thanks to the wisdom and foresight of our nation's founders. I, for one, am grateful to live under a system of government that provides at least some measure of protection for those who would undoubtedly be (and often are) oppressed by the majority. We ALL reap the benefits of such protection.
Posted by: Mollie Smith | July 02, 2009 at 10:53 AM
Excellent -- NOT!! The US is supposed to be a democracy. What's wrong with the people voting on a controversial measure the D.C. Council never should have passed? It's another example of the so-called elite imposing what they "know" to be best on the ignorant populace. Same sex marriage is not a constitutional right and, therefore, the majority of voters get to decide the issue.
Posted by: jon | July 01, 2009 at 06:29 PM
Excellent! A forward thinking court doing the right thing. More states should have laws preventing a majority from voting to discriminate against a minority group.
Posted by: jeff | July 01, 2009 at 12:32 AM