LGBTQ news and entertainment
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| Pam Bondi |
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi has been elected chairperson of the Republican Association of Attorneys General.
Since taking office, the Associated Press points out that Bondi has accepted $51,000 in gifts (hotels, meals, free trips) to attend RAGA events.
Bondi, along with Florida Gov. Rick Scott, is responsible in great part for continuing the ban on same-sex marriage in the state.
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| Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi |
As expected, Attorney General for Florida – Pam Bondi – has filed a brief in opposition of lifting a stay on a ruling which would allow same-sex marriage to begin.
The stay in question was set to expire today. Bondi filed at pretty much the last minute.
From Equality Florida:
Earlier this month the US Supreme Court paved the way for marriages for same-sex couples to commence in 13 states by refusing to hear appeals of five circuit court rulings that found state bans unconstitutional. The ACLU and lawyers for plaintiffs in a concurrent case immediately asked Judge Hinkle to lift the stay he put in place in January when he declared the ban a violation of equal protection and due process.
On two occasions in the past month, the United States Courts for the 9th Circuit lifted a stay while decisions on marriage equality in Idaho and Alaska are appealed. The U.S. Supreme Court also refused to order the court to keep the stay in place while appeals continue, despite appeals from the defense. Both the Circuit Court and the U.S. Supreme Court stated that they will not make couples wait to marry while appeals are pending.
“Even if she continues to pursue an appeal, Attorney General Bondi should not hold our state and our families hostage by calling for the stay to remain in place. Should she choose to appeal, let her follow the lead of the 9th Circuit and the U.S. Supreme Court and allow marriages to commence. Every day that Floridians are denied access to the protections only marriage can provide, our families suffer,” added Smith.
See the full brief below:
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| Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi |
Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi is ducking her responsibilities by asking state appeals courts to put marriage equality appeals on hold indefinitely until the US Supreme Court rules on the issue.
“Neither this Court nor the Florida Supreme Court can decide this federal issue with finality,” Bondi wrote in a filing late Thursday to the state’s 3rd District Court of Appeal. “The United States Supreme Court, however, ‘has the final word on the United States Constitution.’”
Bondi told the appeals court she expects the U.S. Supreme Court will act soon on the gay marriage issue. She cited filings this week from the states of Utah and Oklahoma asking their gay-marriage cases be heard by the nation’s highest court.
“A ruling from the United States Supreme Court would end the constitutional debate, end this appeal, and end all related cases,” Bondi wrote. “The State of Florida will respect the United States Supreme Court’s final word. In the meantime, this Court should preserve taxpayer and judicial resources by staying briefing until the United States Supreme Court rules.”
While Utah and Oklahoma may ask SCOTUS to rule on their appeals, there is no guarantee that SCOTUS will take the cases. And even if SCOTUS does, rulings may not come for a year.
AG Bondi is content to let gay and lesbian couples in Florida wait – possibly years – for justice.
Wow – that’s leadership?