Posted on 09/07/2005 6:06:36 PM PDT by SmithL
SACRAMENTO - Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger announced Wednesday that he will veto a bill seeking to allow gay marriages in California.
Schwarzenegger said the legislation, given final approval Tuesday by lawmakers, would conflict with the intent of voters when they approved Proposition 22. That measure was put on the ballot in 2000 to prevent California from recognizing same-sex marriages performed elsewhere.
"We cannot have a system where the people vote and the Legislature derails that vote," the governor's press secretary, Margita Thompson, said in a statement. "Out of respect for the will of the people, the governor will veto (the bill)."
Despite his promise to veto the bill, Schwarzenegger "believes gay couples are entitled to full protection under the law and should not be discriminated against based upon their relationship."
"He is proud that California provides the most rigorous protections in the nation for domestic partners," the statement said.
The Republican governor had indicated in previous statements that he would veto the bill, saying the debate over same-sex marriage should be decided by voters or the courts.
A state appeals court is weighing an appeal of a San Francisco judge's ruling striking down state laws barring gay marriages. Meanwhile, opponents of same-sex marriages are planning measures on the ballot next year that would place a ban on gay marriages in the state constitution.
The announcement dampened a celebratory mood among the bill's supporters, who only the night before cheered, hugged and kissed as the state Assembly narrowly sent the bill to the governor's desk.
Assemblyman Paul Koretz, D-West Hollywood, had called bans on gay marriage "the last frontier of bigotry and discrimination."
The bill passed the Legislature through the persistence of its sponsors, Assemblyman Mark Leno, D-San Francisco. His original bill had failed in the Assembly by four votes in June, but he then amended it to another bill in the Senate, which voted to approve it last week.
It was that amended bill the Assembly passed by a bare majority on Tuesday. Four Democrats who did not vote on the bill in June provided the winning margin this week.
The vote made the California Legislature the first legislative body in the country to approve of same-sex marriage. Gay marriage licenses in Massachusetts and civil unions in Vermont were granted through court rulings.
LOL!
I pray this is true....
Mm hmm.
Ahhhnold. If he does this it is quite an act of political courage. The Gay Left Lobby will go after him mercilessly. Also, he will be blacklisted in Hollywood.
DING! DING! DING!
We have a winner!
Would that he actually said the above instead of what he did say. This jerk is one of the most freedom-hating jerkoffs in the Cal legislature.
You don't understand the gay agenda. That's all they want.
I'm Shocked, now I must head over to DU and LMAO!
OUTSTANDING - THANK YOU GOVERNOR!
No, we've maintained the definition of marriage as being between one man and one woman.
samadams2000 wrote: Now fire 1 out of every 5 state workers you clown!
I agree. Start with the Dept of Motor Vehicles.
He better..........
What is Rumpole's wife doing at your place?
Still, I was worried...
I've decided that the gateway to box office success is to be blacklisted in Hollywood.
The surety to success is when you hear, "You'll never eat lunch in this town again." When you hear that, you've arrived.
Way to go Arnold!
So in other words, lesbians are fine, biblically speaking?
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