Tag: Oregon

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Oregon Governor Resigns, Openly LGBT Secretary Of State To Assume Governorship

Oregon Secretary of State Kate Brown to assume governorship

Bloomberg reports:

Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber’s almost four-decade political career fell apart Friday, as he heeded calls from fellow Democrats to resign after a scandal involving his fiancee’s use of his office to generate business for her energy-consulting firm.

Kitzhaber, a 67-year-old re-elected to a fourth term in November, announced his departure in a news release.

Secretary of State Kate Brown, also a Democrat, will assume the office until 2016.

Married to a man, but openly bisexual, this would make Borwn the first-ever openly LGBT governor.

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Rachel Maddow Profiles Bear Couple Who Own JebBushForPresident.com

Charlie and CJ, two “high-tech bears” in Oregon, decided back in 2008 to buy the internet domain www.JebBushForPresident.com thinking that someday – SOMEDAY – that might be something someone would be interested in.

Flash forward to today, and here is Jeb Bush about to run for president.

But the Oregon bears aren’t looking to sell the domain for a high price profit. They plan to use the space to explain the need for LGBT rights.

And so, that is how they came to be featured on Rachel Maddow’s show last night.

The segment begins at the 11:15 mark below. If the player doesn’t work, click here.

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Oregon: Judge Rules Bakery Discriminated Against Gay Couple, Not A Religious Institution

By now, we all know the story of the Oregon bakery, Sweet Cakes by Melissa, which in January 2013 refused to make a wedding cake for a lesbian couple.

The bakery owner, Aaron Klein, refused to make the cake when he realized the cake would be eaten at a same-sex wedding.

The couple filed a discrimination complaint with the Oregon Bureau of Labor and Industries on the basis of sexual orientation. Under Oregon state law, you can’t refuse service to someone because they are gay.

A judge has now weighed in on the matter. And the bakery, not surprisingly, has been found guilty of – yes – discrimination.

The ruling via press release:

The Interim Order finds that the undisputed material facts support charges of unlawful discrimination under the Oregon Equality Act. An administrative hearing scheduled for March will focus on damages for the same-sex couple.

Under Oregon law, Oregonians may not be denied service based on sexual orientation or gender identity. The law provides an exemption for religious organizations and schools, but does not allow private businesses to discriminate based on sexual orientation, just as they cannot legally deny service based on race, sex, age, disability or religion. The bakery is not a religious institution under law.

The Kleins argued against a connection between the same-sex couple’s sexual orientation and respondents’ alleged discriminatory action. The BOLI Interim Order rejects the argument:

As the Agency argues in support of its cross-motion, “[t]here is simply no reason to distinguish between services for a wedding ceremony between two persons of the same sex and the sexual orientation of that couple. The conduct, a marriage ceremony, is inextricably linked to a person’s sexual orientation.”

Bolding is mine.

On March 10th, the court will rule on what damages the bakery may owe the couple.

It should be noted that the bakery’s website pointedly makes this notation:

We here at Sweet Cakes strongly believe that when a man and woman come together to be joined as one, it is truly one of the most special days of their lives, we feel truely honored when we are chosen to do the cake for your special day.

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Oregon: NOM Requests En Banc Review of Marriage Equality Ruling

Now it’s just getting embarrassing for the ironically named National Organization for Marriage.

After getting a big NO from the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals after trying to insert themselves in Oregon’s marriage equality decision, NOM is now asking the 9th for an “en banc” reviews of it’s request.

Despite a string of legal defeats, the National Organization for Marriage is continuing its battle against the May 19 federal court decision overturning Oregon’s ban on same-sex marriage.

Two weeks after a three-judge panel of the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals rejected the group’s attempt to intervene in the case, the National Organization for Marriage on Wednesday asked the full Ninth Circuit Court to reconsider the decision.

The group — which has waged a legal battle against same-sex marriages throughout the country — had earlier lost several attempts to insert itself in the Oregon case.

In June, the U.S. Supreme Court denied a request by NOM to halt same-sex marriages in Oregon, which began after U.S. District Judge Michael McShane ruled that the ban unconstitutionally discriminated against gay and lesbian couples.

My guess is NOM needs SOMETHING to put in their email money begs to justify why anyone should send them a dime.

(h/t JMG)

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US Supreme Court refuses to halt same-sex marriages in Oregon

The US Supreme Court has just announced it will NOT put same-sex marriage in Oregon on hold.

From LGBTQ Nation:

The court issued an order Wednesday declining to block any new same-sex unions in the state while a federal appeals court considers whether an anti-gay marriage group can intervene in the case.

The order follows an emergency appeal by the National Organization for Marriage that seeks to overturn the May 19 ruling of U.S. District Judge Michael McShane. The group had unsuccessfully tried to intervene in the lower court proceeding after Oregon Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum declined to defend the same-sex ban.

Hundreds of same-sex Oregon couples have obtained marriage licenses since McShane’s order.

The full court considered the request from NOM, and it was denied without comment.

Take that, haters!

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Quote of the day: Judge Michael McShane

“With discernment we see not shadows lurking in closets or the stereotypes of what was once believed; rather, we see families committed to the common purpose of love, devotion, and service to the greater community.

“To those who truly harbor such fears, I can only say this: Let us look less to the sky to see what might fall; rather, let us look to each other … and rise.” – From Federal Judge Michael McShane’s ruling striking down Oregon’s marriage equality ban

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Federal judge strikes down Oregon same-sex marriage ban

A federal judge in Oregon struck down the state’s ban on same-sex marriage Monday, making for the 13th straight win for gay nuptials in the federal courts since the U.S. Supreme Court decision against the Defense of Marriage Act.

U.S. District Judge Michael McShane ruled in the consolidated case of Rummell v. Kitzhaber and Geiger v. Kitzhaber that Oregon’s ban on same-sex marriage violates equal protection rights under the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

The ruling was somewhat expected as no one from the state stood to defend the law.  In February the state Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum announced the law was, in her opinion, unconstitutional.  The governor of the state also announced that he supported marriage equality and did not wish to hire outside lawyers to defend it.

A recent Public Policy poll showed that 54 percent of Oregon residents would vote to legalize same-sex marriage at the ballot.

McShane’s ruling means 13 federal courts have ruled in favor of marriage equality since the Supreme Court’s decision against DOMA in addition to state courts in New Jersey, New Mexico and Arkansas.

Supporters of same-sex marriage in Oregon began gathering hours before the ruling was released.

Officials in Oregon’s largest county, Multnomah, said they will begin issuing marriage licenses immediately. There is usually a three-day waiting period for the licenses, but the county has offered to waive the waiting period on Monday, for a $5 fee.

Judge McShane’s ruling specified it was effective immediately.

Several pastors are at the courthouse, ready to marry couples who obtain a marriage license today.

Oregon United supporters celebrate the ruling

Shiny happy people in Oregon – MARRIED!  Congratulations!

(via Washington Blade)

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NOM requests and is immediately DENIED stay in Oregon marriage equality ruling

Before the ruling is even handed down, the National Organization for Marriage filed an emergency request for stay in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals.

Before you could even blink, the Ninth Circuit refused the stay with a one sentence decision.  See below.

“And stay out!!!”