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Supervisor Antonovitch says “activist judges with a political correctness agenda have disenfranchised the people of California”
Featured Feb 08, 2012
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Prop 8 Deemed Unconstitutional by Appeals Court
Supervisor Antonovitch says “activist judges with a political correctness agenda have disenfranchised the people of California”
A federal appeals court Tuesday ripped down Proposition 8, finding California’s ban on same-sex marriage completely unconstitutional .
With a decision that pushes the gay marriage issue a step closer to the U.S. Supreme Court, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld former San Francisco Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker, who invalidated Proposition 8 in 2010 after an unprecedented trial.
“Proposition 8 serves no purpose, and has no effect, other than to lessen the status and human dignity of gays and lesbians in California, and to officially reclassify their relationships and families as inferior to those of opposite-sex couples,” Judge Reinhardt wrote, joined by Judge Michael Daly Hawkins.
Judge N. Randy Smith dissented, saying there were “legitimate governmental interests” in restricting the definition of marriage to a union between a man and woman.
Proposition 8 backers can now ask the 9th Circuit to rehear the case.
Meanwhile Supervisor Michael D. Antonovich issued the following statement on the 2-1 decision from U.S. Court of Appeals upholding U.S. District Chief Judge Vaughn R. Walker’s ruling that Prop. 8 is unconstitutional.
“Once again, activist judges with a political correctness agenda have disenfranchised the people who voted overwhelmingly to oppose same-sex marriage in California — over 4.5 million Californians in 2000, and over 7 million in 2008. This ruling needs to be appealed to the United States Supreme Court.”
Judge Stephen Reinhardt, appointed by President Carter, and Judge Michael Hawkins, a Clinton appointee, voted in the affirmative. The dissent was submitted by Judge N.R. Smith who was appointed by President George W. Bush.
