Politics & Government
Supreme Court Clears Way for Same-Sex Marriage
Culver City Mayor Jeff Cooper says he is pleased by the court's rulings. Other Culver City council members also shared their thoughts.
By Meredith Skrzypczak and Kelly Hartog
The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday cleared the way for same-sex marriages to resume in California, ruling that supporters of Proposition 8 lacked standing to appeal lower court rulings that deemed the state's voter-approved measure unconstitutional.
In a 5-4 ruling, the court ruled that backers of Proposition 8—which was approved by California voters in 2008 and banned same-sex marriage—lacked legal standing to challenge a lower court ruling that found the measure unconstitutional.
"We have never before upheld the standing of a private party to defend the constitutionality of a state statute when state officials have chosen not to," according to the ruling. "We decline to do so for the first time here."
The High Court did not set a precedent that would legalize gay marriage across the country.
The U.S. Supreme Court also struck down a key portion of the federal Defense of Marriage Act, (DOMA), which bars same-sex couples who are legally married from receiving federal benefits.
"The federal statute is invalid, for no legitimate purpose overcomes the purpose and effect to disparage and injure those whom the State, by its marriage laws, sought to protect in personhood and dignity," the court said in its opinion released Wednesday. "By seeking to displace this protection and treating those persons as living in marriages less respected than others, the federal statute is in violation of the Fifth Amendment."
The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling to strike down DOMA, enacted in 1996, means legally married same-sex couples will be able to enjoy the same rights granted to opposite-sex couples such as Social Security benefits and joint income tax filing and exemptions, according to GLAAD.org.
Culver City Mayor Jeff Cooper told Patch following the ruling, "I am pleased by today’s Supreme Court’s rulings. Like many people in our community, I share a personal commitment to equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans. I believe every American should be able to marry the person he or she loves. I also think that when history looks back on this issue, everyone who stood against this basic civil right will look as outdated as those who opposed racial equality, the rights of women to vote, religious freedom and other similar stances we now view as offensive."
Vice Mayor Meghan Sahli-Wells told Patch, "This is a joyous moment in history, when we get to see the end of institutionalized discrimination. Whatever a person's personal or religious beliefs, the law of the land must be fair and equal. Our nation was built on these principals, and I'm thrilled we've finally attained them by overturning DOMA and nixing Prop 8. I look forward to attending many happy weddings in the near future!"
Culver City Councilmember Jim Clarke told Patch he is in Washington D.C. for meetings on Capitol Hill and got to witness the reaction there. "I went past the Supreme Court right after the decisions were announced," he said. "Quite a crowd. Very enthusiastic. I am pleased that the equal protection clause of the Constitution has been extended to all citizens of our country whether they be straight or LGBTQ."
Councilmember Andy Weissman told Patch, "My reaction is entirely personal. I believe that the court's decisions is another step toward guaranteeing the promise that is set forth in the Declaration of Independence and in the U.S. Constitution 'that all people are created equal.'"
Councilmember Micheal O'Leary added, "Loving [homosexual] couples who commit to something as sacred as marriage deserve the protections afforded heterosexuals who commit to marriage."
—Erika Maldonado and City News Service contributed to this report.
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