In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with Gary Buseck, Legal Director of the Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD ) and one of the architects of Gay Marriage in this country. Recently U.S. District Judge Joseph Tauro, who was appointed to the United States District Court by the Nixon administration, ruled in two separate cases that section 3 a critical portion of the federal Defense of Marriage Act is unconstitutional. The ruling stems from GLAD’s lawsuit Gill et al v. Office of Personnel Management et al, filed in March 2009. Mary Bonauto, GLAD’s Civil Rights Project Director who argued the case stated, “The Court simply affirmed that our country won’t tolerate second-class marriages. I’m pleased that Judge Tauro recognized that married same-gender couples and surviving spouses have been seriously harmed by DOMA and that the plaintiffs deserve the same opportunities to care and provide for each other and for their children that other families enjoy. This ruling will make a real difference for countless families in Massachusetts.”
The next step in the case is for the federal government to decide whether it will appeal Judge Tauro’s ruling to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. That decision should come within the next 60 days. When asked if he thought this case will reach the federal Supreme Court Buseck stated, "That’s really hard to tell. The first thing we have to do is go through the Unites States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit. If we win at that court and it will be a big challenge there as it is in any court of appeals involving the constitutionality of a federal statute. If we win at the Unites States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, most people tell us the United States Supreme Court would hear the case. It is the kind of case the court has been paying attention to in recent years, so we think that’s likely, but if we lose in the Unites States Court of Appeals for the First Circuit, perhaps a review by the U.S. Supreme Court becomes somewhat less likely.”
Join Gary Buseck at GLAD's 28th Annual Summer Party to be held July 31st outside in the heart of Provincetown on the grounds of Pilgrim Monument. This is a fabulous fundraising event. Enjoy the view of the harbor, mingle with other GLAD supporters and learn more about their ground-breaking cases. Comedian Kate Clinton will be returning as auctioneer extraordinaire! You don't want to miss this exciting auction - travel packages, unique experiences, massages, theatre and much more. There’s something for everyone and all in support of a great org. See you there!
For More Info: glad.org
No comments:
Post a Comment