Gay & Lesbian Advocates and Defenders, GLAD, has filed its lawsuit to stop the new Massachusetts marriage amendment dead in its tracks. We predict GLAD will be successful. (It looks like the case will be heard before the state legislature's first possible meeting of its Constitutional Convention -- next May?-- where the amendment would have to pass the first of two legislative votes.)
MassResistance has long warned of such obstructionism, should an amendment be attempted. We're certain that Senate President Travaglini, who sets the dates and agenda of the Constitutional Convention, is in close communication with GLAD on timing issues.
GLAD's press release (Jan. 3, 2006) says they expect the case to be heard in the Spring ... by a "friend" on the Mass. Supreme Judical Court?
Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) today filed a lawsuit to challenge the Attorney General’s decision that a proposed ballot question that would once again exclude same-sex couples from marriage satisfies the Massachusetts constitution.
“The Attorney General simply got it wrong,” said Gary Buseck, GLAD’s Legal Director. “Our state constitution says there can be no citizen-initiated constitutional amendment that `relates to the reversal of a judicial decision.’ This proposed anti-gay, anti-marriage amendment is meant squarely and solely to reverse the decision in Goodridge v. Dept. of Public Health that ended marriage discrimination in Massachusetts." ...
GLAD’s lawsuit was filed in the single justice session of the Supreme Judicial Court. It is anticipated that the case will be reported by the single justice to the full court and set for oral argument in Spring 2006.
We wonder which "single justice" they'll get? There's at least a 4 out of 7 chance it will be a good friend!
