SPECIAL SESSION - News from the Minnesota Capitol

On this much state leaders seem to agree: A proposed constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage is a major obstacle to a special session to finish work on a bunch of unrelated matters.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty said Tuesday that the "fundamental rift" on the issue could stand in the way of a deal he wants in place before calling lawmakers back to St. Paul.

The GOP-led House voted earlier this year to let Minnesota residents decide whether to ban same-sex marriages and any legal equivalent; the DFL-led Senate defeated the proposal in committee and blocked efforts to bring the bill to the floor.

Senate leaders say the amendment shouldn't be on the table during a special session; Pawlenty and his House Republican allies won't close the door.


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County officials sued over gay marriages
The lawsuit says the six officials should pay back money used to issue marriage licenses to gays

An opponent of same-sex marriages filed a lawsuit on Monday alleging that four elected officials and two administrators misspent public money in allowing marriage licenses to be issued to same-sex partners.

The suit was filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court on behalf of Johny Alan Belgarde, who is director of the Christian Coalition of Oregon. The coalition is attempting to recall the four elected officials named in the court complaint.
Defendants in the suit are Diane Linn, chairwoman of the county board, and Commissioners Maria Rojo de Steffey, Serena Cruz and Lisa Naito. The other defendants are Cecillia Johnson, director of the county Department of Business and Community Services, and David Boyer, the county's finance officer.

The suit asks the defendants to return to the county general fund money spent by the county in issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The suit also asks for an injunction to prevent similar expenditures in the future.