Lawsuit Filed Over New York Same-Sex Marriage Law
Conservative groups on Monday filed a lawsuit in New York Supreme Court challenging the legality of the state's same-sex marriage law.
The lawsuit, in which New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedom (NYCF) is the primary plaintiff, seeks an injunction on the Marriage Equality Act, claiming that open meeting laws were violated, campaign contributions were promised, and Senate rules on debate were violated in order to enact the law, which took effect on Sunday.
In statements issued Monday, NYCF and Liberty Counsel, the nonprofit legal firm representing them, claimed that:
-- New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg held a closed-door session with all Republican senators, "in violation of the Open Meetings Law," in which he pressured them to vote in favor of the act.
-- Bloomberg promised to make large campaign contributions to any GOP senator who voted in favor of the bill.
-- Gov. Andrew Cuomo violated the constitutionally mandated three-day review period before a vote was taken "by unjustifiably issuing a message of necessity."
-- Lobbyists and the public were shut out from the Senate lobby and "denied access to elected representatives," an act the groups said was unprecedented.
"Today we are asking the court to intervene in its rightful role as the check and balance on an out-of-control state legislature," said the Rev. Jason J. McGuire, NYCF's executive director.
"It is unfortunate that state senators chose to protect their personal interests, rather than the people they were elected to represent," McGuire said in a statement. "Some of the players may have changed, but it looks like same old Albany game. It is time the curtain be pulled back and the disinfecting light of good government shine upon the Cuomo administration and our state legislature."
Numerous calls by CNN to the governor's office and state Senate officials had not been returned Monday evening. –CNN U.S.
Conservative groups on Monday filed a lawsuit in New York Supreme Court challenging the legality of the state's same-sex marriage law.
The lawsuit, in which New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedom (NYCF) is the primary plaintiff, seeks an injunction on the Marriage Equality Act, claiming that open meeting laws were violated, campaign contributions were promised, and Senate rules on debate were violated in order to enact the law, which took effect on Sunday.
In statements issued Monday, NYCF and Liberty Counsel, the nonprofit legal firm representing them, claimed that:
-- New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg held a closed-door session with all Republican senators, "in violation of the Open Meetings Law," in which he pressured them to vote in favor of the act.
-- Bloomberg promised to make large campaign contributions to any GOP senator who voted in favor of the bill.
-- Gov. Andrew Cuomo violated the constitutionally mandated three-day review period before a vote was taken "by unjustifiably issuing a message of necessity."
-- Lobbyists and the public were shut out from the Senate lobby and "denied access to elected representatives," an act the groups said was unprecedented.
"Today we are asking the court to intervene in its rightful role as the check and balance on an out-of-control state legislature," said the Rev. Jason J. McGuire, NYCF's executive director.
"It is unfortunate that state senators chose to protect their personal interests, rather than the people they were elected to represent," McGuire said in a statement. "Some of the players may have changed, but it looks like same old Albany game. It is time the curtain be pulled back and the disinfecting light of good government shine upon the Cuomo administration and our state legislature."
Numerous calls by CNN to the governor's office and state Senate officials had not been returned Monday evening. –CNN U.S.
<><><>*<><><>
Vatican Recalls Envoy To Ireland Over Priest Abuse Scandal
The Vatican on Monday recalled its envoy to Ireland in the wake of a blistering report accusing church leaders of covering up extensive abuse of young people by priests.
Archbishop Giuseppe Leanza was recalled to Rome "for consultations with the (Vatican) Secretariat of State," the official Vatican Information Service said in citing a statement from the Roman Catholic Church's leadership.
The move came in reaction to this month's release of the Cloyne report about "allegations of abuse of minors by clergy ... and, in particular, in the wake of subsequent reactions."
Released July 13, the 421-page report into abuses in the diocese of Cloyne -- near the southern city of Cork -- demolished claims by the Catholic Church in Ireland that policies it put in place in 1996 had enabled it to get a handle on the problem. It details how complaints against 19 clerics in the diocese were dealt with between 1996 and 2009.
It also accused Bishop John Magee, who was responsible for policing abuse in his diocese, of not backing the policy himself and failing to take action against abusers.
The Vatican last week had promised action, with the Rev. Federico Lombardi, director of the Holy See press office, saying in a statement the church "will respond appropriately." He added the Vatican's aim is to promote the protection of children and restore "an atmosphere of trust and collaboration in the Church and in society."
His comments came days after Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny launched a stinging attack. He claimed that the Cloyne report exposed the Vatican as seeking to frustrate an inquiry into child sex abuse for its own benefit, even after the scandal blew up worldwide.
On listening to the evidence of humiliation and betrayal, Kenny said, "The Vatican's reaction was to parse and analyze it with the gimlet eye of a canon lawyer ... this calculated, withering position being the polar opposite of the radicalism, humility and compassion upon which the Roman Church was founded."
The report exposed "a tale of a frankly brazen disregard for protecting children," the prime minister added, as he praised the courage of the victims of abuse who had spoken out to investigators.
Lombardi responded in a statement saying some criticisms of the Vatican went too far and "demonstrate little awareness of what the Holy See has actually done over the years to help effectively address the problem."
One point of contention is a 1997 letter from the Vatican's envoy to Ireland that warns bishops to follow church law while investigating cases of suspected child sex abuse by priests. The envoy expresses "serious reservations" about requiring that such cases be reported to the police.
That letter, since being revealed recently, has stoked harsh criticism in Ireland. Numerous Irish victims of sexual abuse, for example, wrote collectively in January that they are "disgusted" by the message. –CNN World
The Vatican on Monday recalled its envoy to Ireland in the wake of a blistering report accusing church leaders of covering up extensive abuse of young people by priests.
Archbishop Giuseppe Leanza was recalled to Rome "for consultations with the (Vatican) Secretariat of State," the official Vatican Information Service said in citing a statement from the Roman Catholic Church's leadership.
The move came in reaction to this month's release of the Cloyne report about "allegations of abuse of minors by clergy ... and, in particular, in the wake of subsequent reactions."
Released July 13, the 421-page report into abuses in the diocese of Cloyne -- near the southern city of Cork -- demolished claims by the Catholic Church in Ireland that policies it put in place in 1996 had enabled it to get a handle on the problem. It details how complaints against 19 clerics in the diocese were dealt with between 1996 and 2009.
It also accused Bishop John Magee, who was responsible for policing abuse in his diocese, of not backing the policy himself and failing to take action against abusers.
The Vatican last week had promised action, with the Rev. Federico Lombardi, director of the Holy See press office, saying in a statement the church "will respond appropriately." He added the Vatican's aim is to promote the protection of children and restore "an atmosphere of trust and collaboration in the Church and in society."
His comments came days after Irish Prime Minister Enda Kenny launched a stinging attack. He claimed that the Cloyne report exposed the Vatican as seeking to frustrate an inquiry into child sex abuse for its own benefit, even after the scandal blew up worldwide.
On listening to the evidence of humiliation and betrayal, Kenny said, "The Vatican's reaction was to parse and analyze it with the gimlet eye of a canon lawyer ... this calculated, withering position being the polar opposite of the radicalism, humility and compassion upon which the Roman Church was founded."
The report exposed "a tale of a frankly brazen disregard for protecting children," the prime minister added, as he praised the courage of the victims of abuse who had spoken out to investigators.
Lombardi responded in a statement saying some criticisms of the Vatican went too far and "demonstrate little awareness of what the Holy See has actually done over the years to help effectively address the problem."
One point of contention is a 1997 letter from the Vatican's envoy to Ireland that warns bishops to follow church law while investigating cases of suspected child sex abuse by priests. The envoy expresses "serious reservations" about requiring that such cases be reported to the police.
That letter, since being revealed recently, has stoked harsh criticism in Ireland. Numerous Irish victims of sexual abuse, for example, wrote collectively in January that they are "disgusted" by the message. –CNN World
No comments:
Post a Comment