Judge's ouster sought

State Rep. Philip Travis has filed a bill calling for the removal of Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Margaret Marshall.

Marshall is the author of the controversial decision legalizing gay marriage in Massachusetts. Travis is one of the Legislature's most outspoken opponents of gay marriage.

Travis' bill differs from a previous one by state Rep. Emile Goguen, D-Fitchburg, in that Travis singles out Marshall.

Goguen called for the ouster of the entire majority of the court that voted to allow gay marriage.


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Request spurs fear of state crackdown
By CONOR BERRY
STAFF WRITER
and DAVID KIBBE
TIMES BOSTON BUREAU

PROVINCETOWN - The Romney administration has requested that Provincetown, Worcester, Somerville and Springfield forward copies of all same-sex marriage license applications to the state, an apparent sign of a crackdown on municipalities that defy a gay-marriage residency requirement.

Officials of the four municipalities had stated they would disregard an order by Gov. Mitt Romney prohibiting city and town clerks from granting marriage licenses to nonresident gay couples who don't plan to move to Massachusetts.

While Provincetown officials have said they will comply with the governor's request for the documents, Somerville will wait to discuss the matter with city attorneys, Mark Horan, a spokesman for Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone, told the Times yesterday.

It was unclear yesterday what, if any, action officials in Springfield and Worcester might take.


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Blackwell calls for amendment banning gay marriage

WASHINGTON - Ohio Secretary of State Kenneth Blackwell said Tuesday that allowing same-sex marriages would lead to "devastating consequences," and called on Congress to quickly pass a constitutional amendment banning such unions.

His comments came one day after hundreds of gay and lesbian couples obtained marriage licenses in Massachusetts, which obeyed a landmark order from its high court and became the first state to allow same-sex weddings.


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Repeal bid for 1913 law may hit snag
By Scott S. Greenberger, Globe Staff

House Speaker Thomas M. Finneran said yesterday that he would block the Legislature from immediately repealing the 1913 law that Governor Mitt Romney wants to use to prevent out-of-state gay couples from marrying in Massachusetts.

Citing procedural grounds, Finneran said he does not want lawmakers to include such a controversial issue in the proposed state budget. Though he opposes gay marriage, Finneran did not take a position on the merits of repealing or keeping the 1913 law.

The Senate is expected to take up the proposed repeal as early as today when it considers the budget. If the Senate approves the amendment, Finneran said, he will instruct the House members on the conference committee to strip the measure from the compromise budget bill.

"If we put something in that the Senate hasn't done, that's not fair to the Senate. The Senate members deserve their debate," Finneran said in an interview with the Globe.



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Activist calls for partnership rights for friends and siblings

NEW legal rights proposed for same-sex couples should be extended to siblings, carers, housemates or lifelong friends, according to gay rights campaigner Peter Tatchell.

He said the Civil Partnership Bill going through Westminster - which will cover Scotland as well - did not go far enough in giving gay couples the same rights as married partners.

Writing in Holyrood magazine, Mr Tatchell said the Scottish Executive should settle for nothing less than equality and open up marriage to same-sex partners.

But he added: "Then it should go one step further, by offering legal recognition and rights to the many diverse relationships of care and commitment that exist outside the marriage framework.



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Local residents rally in support of gay marriage
By JAMIE OPPENHEIM
Aggie News Writer
Dozens of Davis residents celebrated the issuing of marriage licenses in Massachusetts to gay and lesbian couples Monday night.

The crowd sang "I'm getting married in the morning, get me to church on time."

As part of a nationwide celebration, the Yolo County branch of Marriage Equality California sponsored the event at E Street Plaza.