Prop 8 Trial Judge Outed As Gay
Posted By Eric Ethington (Author) on February 7, 2010
Prop 8 Trial Judge Vaughn Walker Outed As Gay
Today the San Francisco Chronicle outed Prop 8 Trial Judge Walker as gay, which has apparently been known to most insiders in the case – including the defense – but is only now being given media attention.
The chronicle states: The biggest open secret in the landmark trial over same-sex marriage being heard in San Francisco is that the federal judge who will decide the case, Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker, is himself gay. Many gay politicians in San Francisco and lawyers who have had dealings with Walker say the 65-year-old jurist, appointed to the bench by President George H.W. Bush in 1989, has never taken pains to disguise – or advertise – his orientation.
They also don’t believe it will influence how he rules on the case he’s now hearing – whether Proposition 8, the 2008 ballot measure approved by state voters to ban same-sex marriage, unconstitutionally discriminates against gays and lesbians. “There is nothing about Walker as a judge to indicate that his sexual orientation, other than being an interesting factor, will in any way bias his view,” said Kate Kendell, head of the National Center for Lesbian Rights, which is supporting the lawsuit to overturn Prop. 8. As evidence, she cites the judge’s conservative – albeit libertarian – reputation, and says, “There wasn’t anyone who thought (overturning Prop. 8) was a cakewalk given his sexual orientation.”
Although the defense is ‘claiming’ that they will not make an issue of this should Judge Walker rule against Prop 8, it is certain the extremist right will – and already is.
"Eric, trying to have this (civil rights) conversation with you is ultimately like trying to teach a pig to dance, it just annoys the pig. So Eric, sorry to annoy you."
-Paul Mero, The Sutherland Institute.
Holy shit! This is crazy. Another brick on the pathway. Hopefully it leads us in the right direction, though.
No issue should be made of his orientation, any more than it should be if the judge were heterosexual. I would hope that he would make his decision based upon the law and evidence presented during trial.
Fully agreed!
[...] an update to Sunday’s story about Prop 8 Trial Judge Vaughn Walker being gay, NOM (people from the “storm is [...]