Menino may defy Romney on gays
By Rick Klein, Globe Staff  |  May 2, 2004

Boston may ignore Governor Mitt Romney’s directives and instruct city officials not to ask gay couples for proof of residency when they apply for marriage licenses this month.
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Aides to Mayor Thomas M. Menino said the mayor will move ahead if city lawyers find they can legally justify disregarding Romney’s demand that officials review residency documents, part of the governor’s attempt to keep out-ofstate gay couples from marrying in Massachusetts.

“There is a good chance I might defy the governor, but we’re still looking at our options,” the mayor said. “It’s about civil rights. It’s about uniting people. It’s about showing that we don’t discriminate in the city of Boston.”

By directly defying the governor, Menino, a Democrat who supports gay marriage, would be making a major political statement. Romney, a Republican, has worked aggressively to stop gay marriage from coming to Massachusetts, through a variety of legal strategies. But Menino said he is planning to make gay marriage as easy as possible in Boston.