Prop 8 Stay Lifted!

Anthony Pignataro: Well, it’s been sort of lifted.

Though last week Judge Vaughn Walker ruled that Prop 8 was unconstitutional, and around noon today lifted the stay on gay marriages, allowing that the State of California will once again issue marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples, said couples will have to wait until 5 p.m., Aug. 18 (that’s next Wednesday) before they can legally tie the knot.

As expected, groups both for and against Prop 8 were quick to put out statements.

“Lifting the stay will put Judge Walker’s basic premise that the state can’t discriminate against same-sex couples into action.  Californians deserve equality and they deserve it now,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese on this blog post. “Ending the enforcement of this discriminatory and unconstitutional law will once again treat same-sex couples as full citizens of California. We look forward to the day when this becomes the permanent and unassailable reality for every family.”

Karen England, the executive director of the Capitol Resource Institute, which helped promote Prop 8, disagreed. In fact, England criticized Walker himself.

“Not only has Judge Vaughn Walker ignored over seven million Californians who amended our Constitution, but he has also refused to disqualify himself from the rulings,” she said. “Judge Walker is openly homosexual and financially benefits from same sex marriage given his involvement with another man, according to newspapers. Ruling against the stay creates a legal mess for homosexuals should his ruling be overturned and Proposition 8 be upheld.”

Why Walker ordered the delay in lifting the stay is unknown, though we can’t discount the possibility that maybe he just wanted time for happy couples to get the invitations out…

Anyway, you can click here for Judge Walker’s ruling.