ARIZONA: Rubio Headlines Fundraiser For Group That Backs "Ex-Gay" Torture

Yesterday Sen. Marco Rubio headlined a fundraiser for the vile Arizona Center For Public Policy, which advocates for "ex-gay" torture among other anti-gay positions. Chris Geidner reports at Buzzfeed:

Although there was no media inside the room at the Center for Arizona Policy fundraiser, held at Arizona Christian University, and a spokesperson from Rubio’s campaign did not respond to repeated requests Wednesday for comment about the event or what Rubio planned to say, at least two attendees did post on social media from within the event with remarks from Rubio. “Even as I’m speaking to you now, a human life is being terminated in America,” a congressional staffer attending Wednesday’s event quoted Rubio as saying. The staffer works for Rep. Trent Franks, who also was in attendance. “Without faith at the core of our society, you fall into an era of moral relativism,” the staffer quoted Rubio as saying. When Rubio was discussing marriage, the Franks staffer did not quote Rubio directly, but he tweeted, “Dangerous era in America, says @marcorubio, where if you believe in the traditional definition of marriage, you’re a bigot.”

Two weeks ago Rubio declared that he believes that sexual orientation is "something people are born with." It doesn't appear that he addressed "ex-gay" therapy during his speech.

Hold Your Applause For Gov. Doug Ducey

While Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey definitely did the right thing yesterday by revoking his state's ban on adoption by same-sex couples, he's also keynoting this weekend's gala for the vile Center For Arizona Policy, which relentlessly fights every advance in LGBT rights. Sharing podium time with Ducey will be martyred anti-gay florist Cottonelle Stutzman. Just take a look at the many ways the Center For Arizona Policy seeks to impose Christianist values on their state. (Tipped by JMG reader Erik)

ARIZONA: GOP Gov. Doug Ducey Revokes Ban On Adoption By Gay Couples

From the Arizona Daily Star:

Just a week after Gov. Doug Ducey vigorously advocated for more adoptions regardless of the parents sexual preference, he found he had to overturn a state policy blocking gay adoptions. Ducey issued an order late Wednesday voiding a Department of Child Safety policy of refusing to certify legally married gay couples for adoption or permitting them to jointly be foster parents. A spokesman for the governor said he just learned about the policy earlier Wednesday. In a sharply worded statement, the governor said his administration is "unambiguously and unapologetically pro-adoption,'' and the policy, instituted without his knowledge, is unacceptable. The governor's move came two months after former agency head Charles Flanagan quietly reversed what had been the policy of allowing such adoptions since last October, when a federal judge struck down Arizona's constitutional amendment defining marriage as solely between one man and one woman.

Flanagan was fired by Ducey earlier this year.

15 AGs To Supreme Court: Same-Sex Marriage Will Cause Incalculable Damage

The attorneys general of fifteen states have filed an amicus brief with the Supreme Court in which they predictably argue that a ruling in favor of same-sex marriage will "irretrievably" destroy their right to self-government. From the brief: 

The Constitution takes no sides on same-sex marriage, and therefore leaves the issue up to the free deliberations of state citizens. The fact that Americans have reached different conclusions about this novel question is not a sign of a constitutional crisis that requires correction by this Court. It is rather a sign that our Constitution is working as it should. In our federal system, this issue must be resolved by the "formation of consensus" at the state level. To resolve it instead through federal judicial decree would demean the democratic process, marginalize the views of millions of Americans, and do incalculable damage to our civic life in this country.

While the brief cites Loving several times and acknowledges that there are "constitutional guarantees" on the equal application of marriage laws, somehow those guarantees do not apply to LGBT Americans.

Matt Drudge Buys $2M Arizona Mansion

Via Gossip Extra:

Internet arsonist Matt Drudge, who owns a sprawling property on the edge of The Everglades near Miami, just plunked down $1.9 million cash for a bunker-like house in the Arizona desert near Phoenix. With the purchase the web aggregator, 48, will be living part-time in the jurisdiction of civil rights-busting Sheriff Joe Arpaio, a favorite on his Drudge Report. Drudge has been moving quite a bit of real estate as of late. Over the past two years, he bought two large adjacent properties in the Redland agricultural area on SW 157th Avenue in southwest Miami-Dade County for a total $2.1 million.

More photos are at the link.

ARIZONA: Hate Pastor Doubles Down: The Government Should Execute Gays

"I believe in the bible. If I didn't, I wouldn't be a Baptist." Watch a local news anchor do an admirable job tangling with nutcase Pastor Steven Anderson. Jeremy Hooper weighs in at Good As You: "Let me be the first to say to Steven Anderson: PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE KEEP SPEAKING. I can literally hear the clicking of the lightbulbs going on over the heads of newly enlightened Arizonans who hadn't realized how ugly the anti-gay movement can and does get."

Matt Baume: Marriage News Watch

Clip recap:

The future of Florida's marriage ban is hanging in the balance, with a big ruling that could allow marriage to start any day now. Anti-gay groups are still spending tons of money in multiple states, but they're not getting much out of it. And there's an election this week could determine the future of marriage in multiple southwestern states.

Matt Baume: Marriage News Watch

Clip recap: "We just picked up more states with the freedom to marry, and the number could continue increasing over the course of this week. But in several states, officials are blocking the start of marriage despite courts ruling against their bans. We'll have the details on how couples are fighting back. Plus, more bad news for the National Organization for Marriage. This time it's a ruling in Virginia that means they'll lose out on over half a million dollars."

Celebrations In Arizona!

Grab a tissue, monkeys.

ARIZONA: First Couple Marries!

Via HRC Arizona: "Arizona's 1st recognized same-sex marriage of the day! Congrats Karen & Nelda Majors!" More from Why Marriage Matters Arizona:

Karen and Nelda, a couple living in Scottsdale, AZ, met, as many couples do, during their early years of college, 55 years ago. Nelda was a sophomore, Karen was a freshman, and the two women lived just in the same dorm, just down the hall from each other at Sam Houston University in Huntsville, Texas. They became fast friends. Though the women relished their newfound friendship, both knew that their connection might mean something more. Karen and Nelda evolved from being best friends to a couple about 6 months after they met. “I came back from spring break and told Nelda I loved her.” Karen gushed, “It was all so new and amazing for me.”

(Tipped by JMG reader Chris)

Tweet Of The Day - Meghan McCain

Marriage equality is now legal in my home state of Arizona!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Fuck yes, finally!!!!!!!
— Meghan McCain (@MeghanMcCain) October 17, 2014

(Via JMG reader Sam)

ARIZONA: AG Tom Horne Will NOT Appeal

Via Arizona Central:

Arizona same-sex couples can begin marrying immediately, after Attorney General Tom Horne announced this morning he will not appeal the court ruling striking down Arizona's marriage restriction. Horne said legal ethics dictated he drop any appeal of the 9th Circuit court's ruling. Horne has issued a letter instructing county clerks to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples immediately. "Effective immediately, the clerks of Arizona county superior courts cannot deny a marriage license to any otherwise eligible licensees on the grounds that the license permits a marriage between persons of the same sex," Horne wrote in his letter. County clerks are expected to be at various stages of readiness for couples who have been anticipating the ruling.

Gov. Jan Brewer Has The Arizona Sadz

"In 2008, Arizona voters approved a state constitutional amendment to define marriage as a union of one man and one woman. Now, with their rulings, the federal courts have again thwarted the will of the people and further eroded the authority of states to regulate and uphold our laws.

"It is not only disappointing, but also deeply troubling, that unelected federal judges can dictate the laws of individual states, create rights based on their personal policy preferences and supplant the will of the people in an area traditionally left to the states for more than two hundred years.

"As Justice Scalia opined, such action is tantamount to 'an ssertion of judicial supremacy over the people’ and is an image of the judiciary 'that would have be en unrecognizable to those who wrote and ratified our national charter.' Simply put, courts should not be in the business of making and changing laws based on their personal agendas.

"It is not the role of the judiciary to determine that same-sex marriages should be allowed. Historically and traditionally, that power belongs to the states, and to the people. If society wants to recognize same-sex marriage or civil unions, that decision should be made through our elected representatives or at the ballot – not the courts." - Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer, via press release.

Local Haters Have The Arizona Sadz

"I am heartbroken for a country and a state that has had the redefinition of marriage forced upon them by an out of control federal judiciary. In what amounts to the de-facto Roe v Wade of marriage, voters throughout the nation have watched their voices be silenced, and their votes voided. Now, Arizona’s marriage amendment and our voters are the latest victims. While the United States Supreme Court may still take up the issue of marriage redefinition, for now the courts have settled the issue in our state. Today, we grieve. We grieve for the children who now have no chance of growing up with a mom and a dad. We mourn the loss of a culture and its ethical foundation. We mourn a culture that continues to turn its back on timeless principles. But we do not despair. We do not throw in the towel. We do not give up. Just as we have worked to build a culture of life, we will focus on rebuilding a culture of marriage as the union of one man and one woman.”- Cathi Herrod, head of the Center For Arizona Policy, the group behind that state's attempt to legalize anti-LGBT discrimination.

From The National Democratic Party

Arizona Joins The Map Of Equality States

As there is no stay in this morning's ruling, the Wikipedia folks immediately updated their map. Notice, however, that Alaska has retreated to light blue. Now we wait to see what the Arizona attorney general and SCOTUS will do.

BREAKING: Federal Court Strikes Down Arizona Marriage Ban, NO STAY ISSUED

Via Buzzfeed:

Arizona’s ban on same-sex couples’ marriages is unconstitutional, a federal judge ruled on Friday. U.S. District Court Judge John Sedwick struck down the state’s ban based on the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals’ decision striking down Idaho and Nevada’s similar bans. Additionally, he refused to grant a stay of his opinion, meaning the decision goes into effect immediately.

UPDATE: Freedom To Marry reacts:

The case, Connolly v. Jeanes ,was filed by private counsel on behalf of several same-sex couples. A separate case, Majors v. Horne, has also been working its way through the courts this year, led by Lambda Legal. In the Connolly case, several of the couples, including Terry Pochert & Joe Connolly and Mason Hite & Christopher Devine, married legally in California, while various other families await the day that they can marry in Arizona. The ruling today strikes down Arizona’s ban on marriage for same-sex couples. It comes just over a week after the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit's decision in two other cases out of Idaho and Nevada affirming the freedom to marry.

Read the full ruling.

ARIZONA: Attorney General Concedes Ninth Circuit Marriage Ruling Applies

Via Arizona Central:

The fate of Arizona's law defining marriage as between only a man and a woman rests on a ruling from U.S. District Court Judge John Sedwick, and a decision from Attorney General Tom Horne as to whether he will comply or continue to fight as similar laws around the country fall. Sedwick gave the parties in two lawsuits challenging Arizona's law a week to file arguments convincing him why the ruling should or should not apply to Arizona. Today was the deadline. The Arizona-based Christian legal group Alliance Defending Freedom has been representing the state for free in the two marriage cases. But Horne's office filed the arguments. The state's brief argument concedes that the 9th Circuit ruling would apply to Arizona, but says Sedwick should wait to issue his ruling until the 9th Circuit issues a mandate. The mandate is essentially a technical document telling the courts to go forward with the opinion. The 9th Circuit issued a mandate within hours of its original ruling but withdrew it so Idaho could appeal. That appeal is concluded but the 9th Circuit has not yet reissued the mandate.

So if things go as they have lately, we'll get the ruling, Horne will ask the Ninth for an emergency stay pending an en banc review, then ask SCOTUS for a stay pending an appeal to them.

ARIZONA: Lambda Legal Calls For Immediate Ruling In Marriage Case

Via press release:

Lambda Legal today urged U.S. District Court Judge John Sedwick to issue an immediate ruling striking down Arizona's discriminatory marriage ban. Lambda Legal Senior Counsel Jennifer C. Pizer said:"Nelda and Karen have been waiting since the Eisenhower Administration; the time is now. None of these loving and committed couples should have to wait even one day longer for the equal treatment that the Constitution promises. The indelible writing is on the wall, both with the 9th Circuit ruling and last week's decision by the U.S. Supreme Court not to review circuit court rulings out of the 4th, 7th and 10th Circuits striking down similar bans in five states nationwide. Equality plus liberty add up to marriage for same-sex couples here in Arizona, too."

Lambda Legal's filing follows last Tuesday's ruling by the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals striking down discriminatory marriage bans in Nevada and Idaho, which came just a day after the announcement from the U.S. Supreme Court denying review of seven marriage lawsuits from the 4th, 7th and 10th Circuits that had struck down discriminatory marriage bans in Virginia, Indiana, Wisconsin, Oklahoma and Utah. Pizer added: "After last week's blizzard of rulings and announcements, same-sex couples can now marry or have their legal marriages recognized in 30 states, a jump of almost 60 percent in just ten days. There is no reason Arizona cannot be the 31st and provide the privileges and protections of marriage to our clients and to same-sex couples and their families across the state."

Five states have not yet complied with Circuit Court rulings: Arizona, Montana, Wyoming, Kansas, and South Carolina.

ARIZONA: Lesbian Couple Appears In Ad For Secretary Of State Candidate

Former Phoenix mayor and Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard lost to Jan Brewer in the 2010 gubernatorial race. This time he's running for Secretary of State with the support of the below lesbian couple, who denounce his opponent for backing the failed attempt to legalize anti-gay discrimination.

(Tipped by JMG reader Homer)