By Gudrun Schultz
ANNAPOLIS, Maryland, June 26, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – Governor Robert Ehrlich has appointed an openly homosexual judge to the Baltimore District Court, one week after firing an appointee to the Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority for speaking out against the homosexual lifestyle.
Judge Christopher Panos, 47, has been appointed as special master to the city Circuit Court family division. Panos has been in a homosexual relationship with partner Dennis Cashen for 17 years, and the two are raising a young girl, Cate, reported the AP.
Last week Governor Ehrlich fired Transit board member Robert J. Smith over his comments on a television talk show, where he said that the homosexual lifestyle is one of “sexual deviancy.” A transit board colleague, who is openly homosexual, complained about the remarks and demanded Smith retract his comments or resign.
Mr. Smith, a Roman Catholic, stood by his remarks, saying they were an expression of his personal beliefs, stemming from his faith, and had no relevancy to his position on the Transit board.
A few hours later he received notice from Gov. Ehrlich that he was fired. In his statement the governor said he was intolerant to any view that opposes the full social acceptance of homosexual behaviour and its promotion in government, according to a press release by the American Family Association.
See related LifeSiteNews coverage:
A Call to Action after Public Sector Employee Fired for Speaking out against Homosexuality
https://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2006/jun/06061901.html