Gay MArriage

After a judge rejected twice their arguments that Attorney General Jerry Brown's ballot title wording for Prop. 8 was biased, the committee promoting the measure said Monday it would seek no further legal action in the matter.

Prop. 8, if approved by the voters in November would amend the California Constitution to state that marriage was only between a man and a woman.

Supporters of the initiative argued that the attorney general's wording that the measure, that "...(Prop. 8) would "eliminates (the) right of same-sex couples to marry.

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With ballots just days away from printing, proponents and opponents of the ballot initiative that would ban gay marriage in the California constitution wrangled over the language that will go before voters Nov. 4.

At a hearing Thursday afternoon before Sacramento Superior Court Judge Timothy Frawley, the attorney for the pro-Proposition 8 side said language on the current ballot constitutes a willful attempt to mislead voters into opposing the measure.

Andrew Pugno said that the measure's ballot and summary said the measure would eliminate same-sex marriage. That equated to loaded language, he said.

Proponents of Proposition 8 said they planned to file suit this afternoon against California Attorney General Jerry Brown over the language used to describe the anti-gay marriage ballot measure on the Nov. 4 ballot.

Yes on 8 spokesperson Jennifer Kerns said the group specifically objected to how that office's title for the measure on the Nov. 4 ballot said it would "eliminate" a right to be married for some California residents, specifically homosexuals.

Court papers were filed Tuesday asking the California Supreme Court to reject a bid to remove Prop. 8, the so-called Defense of Marriage initiative, from the state's November general election ballot.

Two weeks ago civil rights groups filed a petition with the court asking it to remove the controversial initiative from the ballot in light of the court's May decision to legalize gay marriage across the Golden State.

But according to Howard Mintz in Tuesday's Mercury News, attorneys for the Alliance Defense Fund and Protect Marriage filed a 46-page petition asking the court to leave Prop. 8 on the ballot.

Conservative commentator and former presidential candidate Gary Bauer opined Monday in Politico that California's Prop. 8, the so-called Defense of Marriage Act, might actually help conservative candidates and causes come November's general election.

The measure, which seeks to amend the California Constitution so that it recognizes marriages as being only between a man and woman, has not been very good chances of passage by Golden State pundits, especially following May's California Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex nuptials.

But Bauer thinks otherwise:

The ballot measure that will decide whether California openly allows gay marriage will be known as Proposition 8.

That and the 10 other ballot measures state voters will see in November received their number designations from the California Secretary of State's office Friday, after the period to qualify or place a measure for the general election ballot ended Thursday.

In a move that wasn't entirely unexpected, presumptive GOP presidential nominee Sen. John McCain endorsed Thursday the controversial California Marriage Protection Act initiative expected to go before the state's voters this November.

In an e-mail received by the ProtectMarriage.com campaign McCain issued the following statement:

"I support the efforts of the people of California to recognize marriage as a unique institution between a man and a woman, just as we did in my home state of Arizona," McCain said in a message widely distributed via PRNewswire. "I do not believe judges should be making these decisions."

The reality of gay marriages may compel California voters to vote against them in November, said the election lawyer for a group supporting a ballot measure on the topic.

Andrew Pugno, with Protect Marriage, said every gay marriage now taking place reminds voters that judges have usurped the will of the electorate.

“It’s forced social change without the opportunity to settle the issue first,” said Pugno, referring to the California Supreme Court ruling last month that found state laws barring gay marriage were unconstitutional.

Ann Barnett claims is isn't trying to make a "statement" by halting the civil wedding ceremonies in her office following state Supreme Court decision legalizing same-sex nuptials

Not unlike four years ago when he stunned the political world by sanctioning gay marriage in his city, San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom will be ready at 5:01 p.m. today when the recent state Supreme Court's decision legalizing gay marriage goes into effect.

Newsom spokeswoman Giselle Barry said the mayor will personally officiate a not-so-private wedding ceremony at City Hall bringing together lesbians Del Martin and Phyllis Lyon.

Newsom won't be the only left-leaning progressive official in California to jump on the opportunity to officiate same-sex nuptials this week. Starting Tuesday morning, mayors and county and city clerks across the state are expecting a surge of requests for both same-sex marriage licenses as well as requests for City Hall wedding ceremonies.