Pelosi: Hands Off DC's Gay Marriage Law

[Freddie Stubbs]

Source: The Philadelphia Bulletin

By JOE MURRAY, The Bulletin

Thursday, May 07, 2009

The battle over gay marriage is taking new twists and turns as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is saying Congress should not to interfere with the District of Columbia’s decision to legalize gay marriage.

“I don’t think Congress should intervene, any more than we should intervene when New York did something similar,” Mrs. Pelosi said.

With Iowa, Vermont and Maine legalizing gay marriage, and the New Hampshire legislature following suit, opponents of such unions are trying to find ways to turn the tide in the debate and are hoping the District can be ground zero.

Though the District’s mayor, Adrian Fenty, has not signed the bill legalizing gay marriage, he is expected to. The decision has sparked debate on Capitol Hill.

Read more: http://thebulletin.us/articles/2009/05/07/news/nation/doc4a02844018076736378724.txt

[tekisui]

1. Why is DC a special case?

[onehandle]

2. Congress messes with DC laws, rights, and more all the time.

She's saying, not this time and to back off.

[baldguy]

4. And that's why DC should have home rule.

Which would require an Amendment.

[baldguy]

3. Art 1, Sec 8 of the Constitution.

"The Congress shall have power...To exercise exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten miles square) as may, by cession of particular states, and the acceptance of Congress, become the seat of the government of the United States..."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Washington_dc#Government

[tekisui]

5. Hot damn.

A lightbulb just went off. I have read that before and never connected it to DC. I feel a little bit dense for not having realized that.

[hootinholler]

6. Except DC did not legalize Gay Marriage.

Unless I missed something, the Council simply decided to accept marriage licensed by another state, treating them no differently than a hetero marriage.

-Hoot

[No Elephants]

7. Maybe D.C. did not think it could legalize same gender marriage because of

DOMA. However, I think Nancy has just given them a big hint--they can if they wish. At least, I hope so.