Politics
Friday June 11, 2004
NY State Court Rules Banning New Paltz Mayor's Same-Sex "Weddings" is Unconstitutional
TODAY'S HEADLINES
E-MAIL
PRINT
NEW YORK, June 11, 2004 (LifeSiteNews.com) - A New York state judge on Thursday threw out all charges against New Paltz mayor Jason West for performing same-sex "marriages" without licenses. Judge Jonathan Katz ruled that an earlier ban by a lower court was unconstitutional. On Tuesday, Judge E. Michael Kavanagh, of the Ulster County Supreme Court in New York, issued a Permanent Injunction ordering West to stop solemnizing same sex "marriages."
"None of the reasons stated in opposition to same-sex marriage is paramount to the equal protection guarantees enshrined in the state and federal constitutions," Judge Katz' ruling stated, according to a Reuters news report. "Even if the financial issues could be addressed in some comprehensive way short of allowing same-sex partners to marry, there would still be no emotional substitute for marriage."
A spokeswoman for the New York Attorney General's office said, "We are reviewing the decision."
Meanwhile, two professors of law are urging U.S. bishops, holding a meeting in Denver next week, to introduce a parish-led initiative to reinforce support for the federal marriage amendment.
"Our goal in defending marriage is to ensure that we have a healthy future as a people," wrote co-authors of the initiative, Princeton professor Robert P. George, and Notre Dame professor Gerard V. Bradley, as reported by the Rocky Mountain News. "The pace and trajectory of judicial [same-sex marriage] decisions leave our political leaders little choice but to constitutionalize the definition of marriage, and little time in which to do it," they warn.
U.S. Catholic bishops hold a special assembly every five years -- this year it will be in Englewood, Colorado, from June 14 to 19.
Read related LifeSiteNews.com coverage:
Judge Permanently Bars U.S. Mayor from Illegally Solemnizing Same-Sex Unions
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2004/jun/04060910.html
Back to TopLatest Headlines
- "Manhattan Declaration" Embodies U.S. Christian Pushback against Abortion, Same-Sex "Marriage"
- Hoffman Loses Final Tally of NY-23 Race; Alleges ACORN Tampering and Fraud
- Abortion Activist Judge Hamilton Confirmed with Help of Ten Republican Senators
- CDC Reverses Gardasil Vaccine Requirement for Immigrants
- Germany Faces Economic Downturn with Plummeting Birth Rate and Aging Population
- CCHD in Archdiocese of Chicago Says it is Working to Fix Problems
- Rejection of Washington DC Marriage Referendum Challenged With Legal Suit
- Obama-Supporting Homosexual Activist to Out Sexually Involved Priests Unless they Support Gay 'Marriage
- Austrian Catholic Bishops Issue Bland Response to Govt's Homosexual Partnership Bill
- Interim Report on Catholic Sex-Abuse Says "Homosexual Identity" Not a Predictor of Sex Abuse
- Commentary on Nov 20 NewsBytes
- LSN NewsBytes - US Health Care Reform
- LSN NewsBytes - Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD)
- LSN NewsBytes - Life Issues, Religion, Swine Flu, US Politics, Sarah Palin, Miscellaneous
- LSN NewsBytes - Climate Change/Global Warming
- 59 Bishops Contributed Financially to Maine Bishop's Effort to Oppose Maine Same-Sex "Marriage" Law
- Pro-Abortion Lawmakers Shower Praise on Senate Bill's Phony Abortion Compromise
Most Read this Week
- Largest U.S. Homosexual Publisher Shuts Down, Closing Major Gay Newspapers
- EWTN's Arroyo Hosts Reform CCHD Reps Who Reveal Shocking Evidence Against USCCB Anti-Poverty Arm
- Italian Mayors Order Crufixes Put in Classrooms in Revolt against European Court Ruling
- Nat'l Organization for Marriage Responds to Miss California "Sex Tape" Scandal
- "Manhattan Declaration" Embodies U.S. Christian Pushback against Abortion, Same-Sex "Marriage"
- Obama Evades Questioning on Stupak Amendment in FOX Interview
- French Judge Finds Hospital Guilty of "Unreasonable Obstinacy" in Saving Newborn's Life
- EU Leaders to Choose President today in Secret "Soviet Style" Meetings
- Hoffman "Unconcedes" Battle for NY-23: Recount Provides Hope for "Miracle" Victory
- CCHD Responds to Reform Movement
MORE NEWS: 
LifeSiteNews.com Home Page Last 10 Days Archives Special Reports
Copyright © LifeSiteNews.com. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-No Derivatives License. You may republish this article or portions of it without request provided the content is not altered and it is clearly attributed to "LifeSiteNews.com". Any website publishing of complete or large portions of original LifeSiteNews articles MUST additionally include a live link to www.LifeSiteNews.com. The link is not required for excerpts. Republishing of articles on LifeSiteNews.com from other sources as noted is subject to the conditions of those sources.