Time to Write the AG

Apparently, supporters of a ballot measure to strip queer residents of Massachusetts of the right to marry are fussy over attempts by MassEquality to write and phone signatories of the initiative letting them know theit signature is on the petition and could possibly be invalid. I'm aware of their efforts because my home received notice.

The efforts of MassEquality are happening because signature gatherers for supporters of the amendment have done a few, well, troubling things. Tactics like telling people they're signing one petition--to allow alcohol sales in grocery stors--and having them sign the marriage petition have been noted in the Boston media. Indeed, the legislature even "acted" by holding a hearing on such tactics.

The mailing from MassEquality isn't the only way I found out someone had fraudulently used my address to sign the petition. I also found them on the site KnowThyNeighbor.org. Basically, she provided false information when signing the petition. I'll be contacting the Attorney General with this (and I've notified her of that--Google is wonderful). I know it's relatively minor and this one signature won't doom the amendment. They've got far too many signatures for this one to make a difference. I'm just pissed at this fucker for using my address...not cool, not cool.

In other news, GLAD has challenged Attorney General Reilly's certification of the petitions. The basic issue here is that the Massachusetts constitution bans any citizen-initiated petitions specifically to overturn Supreme Judicial Court rulings. GLAD is arguing that this amendment is specifically tied to overturning Goodridge v. Department of Public Health. Supporters of the amendment say that since those marriages already in existence when (if) the amendment passes won't be affected--it will only bar them moving forward into the future, along with any other form of family recognition--it isn't related to Goodridge. We'll see how this plays out.

Here's where things stand now. If GLAD's challenge (pdf) is rejected, the amendment will go to the legislature (or the General Court, as it is formally known here). It must then pass two consecutive General Courts with 50 votes (25% of the General Court--citizen-initiated amendments have a lower legislative bar than those coming out of the legislature). If it passes those two sessions, it will appear on the 2008 ballot for the citizens of Massachusetts to vote on.

We are also still waiting for a decision on Cote-Whitacre v. Dep't of Public Health. The SJC heard arguments in this case this fall. If the Court accepts GLAD's argument, out-of-state same-sex couples will be able to wed in Massachusetts.

Now, off to draft a letter to the AG.

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