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Plaintiff (pro gay marriage) Post Testimony Press Conference
The case against Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California, in federal court finished last week and it's safe to say, however may Judge Vaughn Walker rule, this is not the end. Appeals will definitely be made and all signs point indicate that it will be the backers of the Prop who will be making the appeal. Perhaps the writing was already on the wall during a pre-trial hearing when the Prop 8 folks asked for a summary judgement:
Judge: “I'm asking you to tell me how it would harm opposite-sex marriages.”
Pro-Prop. 8 Atty Cooper: “All right.”
Judge: “All right. Let's play on the same playing field for once.”
Cooper: “Your Honor, my answer is: I don't know. I don't know.”
"The plaintiffs put on a spectacular show-trial of irrelevant evidence, calling to the stand many 'expert' witnesses to testify that allowing homosexual marriage would: help local governments raise more tax revenues, help gay and lesbian couples to accumulate greater wealth, and improve the self-esteem of homosexuals," wrote Prop 8's General Counsel, Andy Pugno in a blog post. "But those are political arguments for society to consider, not legal support for the claim that the US Constitution contains the right to homosexual marriage. The courtroom is simply not the proper forum for what is clearly a social, not a legal, appeal."
Fentanyl and other drugs fuel record deaths among people experiencing homelessness in L.A. County. From 2019 to 2021, deaths jumped 70% to more than 2,200 in a single year.
