Posted on 05/28/2005 2:00:55 PM PDT by RWR8189
ALBANY, N.Y. -- The village mayor who challenged New York law by attempting to marry gay couples will face trial, the state's highest court ruled Friday.
New Paltz Village Mayor Jason West faces 24 misdemeanor counts of violating the state's domestic relations law by marrying couples without marriage licenses last year. West's defiance of a law that state officials say forbids gay marriage made the little Hudson Valley village a flashpoint in the national gay marriage debate.
The state Court of Appeals on Friday refused West's request to hear the case first, avoiding the usual process of hearing cases in town, county, and state appellate courts before they are considered by the state's highest court. West had sought a "leave application" because he argued the case was unique, novel and critical to the state.
Assistant District Attorney Joan Lamb said the court held a telephone conference on the issue Thursday. She said she argued that other cases brought by gay couples are wending through the court system now. She said the gay couples have better legal status to contest the law because it affects their rights, rather than West who allegedly defied the law as a public official.
"The mayor will stand trial on the charges," she said.
West, however, continues to have a motion to dismiss the charges "in the interest of justice" pending. The town court judge could dismiss the case.
"Mayor West stood up for the constitutional rights of people being treated unfairly and unconstitutionally," said West's attorney, E. Joshua Rosenkranz of New York City.
(Excerpt) Read more at newsday.com ...
Clinton has executive clemency let's remember....and that's a good thing, because think of what the liberals would want to do to just about any ex GOP President if they didnt....
as for Berger, that was an egotistical nutcase and losing his clearance more or less strips him of any relevance the Dems had for him. In short, he is now useless to them....I will take that too...and he won't be getting his clearance back unless he gets it waivered by the President, which won't happen unless it is Hillary....
Berger should be in jail. Anything less is giving the well-connected a break.
Why do you think that the meaning of the constitution does not including acting in good faith or with out criminal intent. Do these words have to be directly stated each time. The pardon of the Jews in NY was clearly a payoff for support for Hillary. The Mark Rich pardon is more balantly obvious. Presidential and all governmental actions are not protected from a person acting under the influence of a bribe. Otherwise the laws have no meaning.
You don't think selling pardons does harm to the country?
has it?
if you proved it, you could take it to a Federal DA. otherwise you are just blowing smoke for the sake of making yourself heard....
actually make no mistake, this can just as easily be a homo-propagada pr stunt again.
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