Celebrating 41 Years!
Lady GaGa
Time to have a ball with
Issue 21 Volume 42
Sec 2 Page 1
Seattle Gay News Marriage is on in Oregon FRIDAY May 23, 2014
FREE!
25¢ in bookstores & newsstands
U.S. District Judge Michael McShane ruled on May 19 that Oregon’s ban on same-sex marriages is unconstitutional, opening the way for Gay and Lesbian couples to marry. Couples were reportedly lining up at county courthouses as early as 5 a.m. in anticipation of McShane’s ruling, and began to apply for marriage licenses as soon as it was announced. McShane did not stay his decision to allow for an appeal, and state officials say they agree that the law is unconstitutional. Only hours before McShane announced his decision, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected a petition from NOM to intervene in the case and block McShane from ruling. “Appellant’s emergency motion to stay district court proceedings pending is denied… The briefing schedule established previously remains in effect,” the Ninth Circuit said in a court order. The appellate court gave NOM until August 25 to demonstrate
why it should be allowed to intervene in the case. McShane rejected NOM’s petition to intervene on May 14 after the anti-Gay group admitted it could not find any residents of Oregon who wanted to be listed as a defendant upholding the state’s marriage ban. Unless NOM can convince the Ninth Circuit that it should be allowed to defend Oregon law, there will be no one with standing to appeal McShane’s decision to the circuit court. McShane, an Obama appointee, is openly Gay, and his written opinion in the case reflects his own experiences, as much as legal scholarship. “Oregon recognizes a marriage of love with the same equal eye that it recognizes a marriage of convenience,” he wrote. “It affords the same set of rights and privileges to Tristan and Isolde that it affords to a Hollywood celebrity waking up in Las Vegas with a blurry memory see OREGON page 9
Paul Carter / The Register-Guard / AP Photo
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer
SEATTLE’S LGBT NEWS & ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY
U.S. District Court Judge Michael J. McShane (l) is helped into his judicial robe by sons Trevor Nyce, 13, and Brandon McShane, 20, in an investiture ceremony at the U.S. Courthouse in Eugene, Oregon, on April 21, 2014
Pennsylvania Governor drops Mary Yu sworn in as Associate Justice marriage appeal Rush for licenses is on!
Amy Hallman
Michael Henninger / Pittsburgh Post-Gazette via AP
in Washington State Supreme Court
A Pittsburgh crowd lifts a large pride banner May 20 in celebration of the court’s ruling
by Mike Andrew SGN Staff Writer Gay and Lesbian couples rushed to get marriage licenses in Pennsylvania as Republican Governor Tom Corbett announced May 21 that he was dropping the state’s fight to keep its ban on same-sex marriage. Corbett, running for reelection and vastly unpopular, decided
not to appeal a decision by Federal District Judge John E. Jones III striking down the state’s marriage law. The state’s Democratic Attorney General, Kathleen Kane, determined that the law was unconstitutional and refused to defend it in court. “Given the high legal threshold set forth by Judge Jones in this case, the case is extremely unlikely to succeed on appeal,” Corbett
wrote in a statement posted on his official blog. “Therefore, after review of the opinion and on the advice of my Commonwealth legal Mary Yu team, I have decided not to appeal the high court has had an openly Judge Jones’ decision. by Tim Moffett Lesbian justice. The former King “The court has spoken, and I will SGN Staff Writer County Superior Court Judge was ensure that my administration follows the provisions of Judge Jones’ Mary Yu was sworn in as the sworn in by Chief Justice Barbara order with respect for all parties.” newest member of the Wash- Madsen following a symposium ington state Supreme Court on see Penn page 18 Tuesday, marking the first time see Mary YU page 9