In an attempt to stifle an historical infringement of the sanctioned law of marriage, the attorneys of Liberty Counsel (LC) and the Executive Director of Campaign for California Family (CCF) have expedited the court hearing to fight against advocates of homosexual unions. The representatives hoped to receive a temporary injunction to desist issuance of marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples in the county of San Francisco.
Matthew D. Staver, the leading attorney and the president and general counsel of Liberty Counsel asserted, "this was such an extraordinary case in the history of this state that we needed to intervene today to stop such activities".
The hearing halted for recess and the case was left inconclusive. The case is expected to be resumed on March 29th.
During a subsequent press conference, Staver informed the journalists that CCF and LC will be taking a preemptory strike against the mayor under the guidelines of preemptory rules. According to Staver, preemptory strikes cannot be challenged by the opposing party.
The cooperative counsel raised two fundamental grounds on which they substantiated the argument. Regarding the first point, Randy Thomasson, the representing council of CCF raised the issue of undermined votes of 4.6 million Californians who advocated the proposition 22 in declaring the marriage as a "union between man and a woman". The second point accused the mayor Gavin Newsom of infringement of issuance of proper marriage licenses. Thomasson declared, "For those Americans in California who are concerned about the counterfeit marriages - they do realize this is much about protection about the system of government as much as it is about the protection about marriage as it has been and always will be and must be."
Staver mentioned the widespread ramification of acts committed by Mayor Newsom, who inadvertently will amplify the predicament. "We have received emails and phone calls from people who have received certification here [San Francisco]. The e-mailers will challenge these [the marriage law], even at the federal level. These certificates will be taken internationally. A couple of counties in New Mexico is about to engage themselves in such actions. Civilians can engage in such activity but mayors, a public figure may not break such laws".
Staver declared that the actions that are taken in San Francisco will hurt the same sex marriage movement. He said, "these radical nature of what the mayor is doing will energize and awake the sleeping giants of proponents of sanctioned marriage of one man and one woman." He continued, "This radical action that takes place here is not what most Americans agree with."
Randy Thomasson concluded with an audacious charge against the mayor. "Mayor Newsom must wake up to the fact that he is breaking the law... the counterfeit and the fraudulent certificate that are being issued. The 14th amendment - those who are promoting the counterfeit marriage is only talking about first two words: 'equal protection', without the next three 'under the law'. It respects the existing law, not new laws. You can marry anyone you want, as long as you both want to get married, you are of age, you are not closely related, and you are of opposite sex."
Staver concluded with a message to the supporters of proposition 22 stating, "For those who are in support of one man and one woman, I believe we are moving forward to stop this situation; justice does not happen quickly but it will prevail in San Francisco. Mayor or anyone else will be under the law and the definition of marriage is very clear in the state of California - a union between one man and one woman."
