Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle Vetoes Civil Unions Law, 271 Same Sex Marriages Performed In Mexico City In Four Months, Pfc. Bradley E. Manning Charged, Lindsay Lohan Sentenced To 90 Days In Jail

Hawaii Governor Linda Lingle announced Tuesday afternoon that she will veto the civil unions bill, saying that the measure was “marriage by another name.” Lingle, who said she made the decision last week, but waited till today – the very last minute possible – underlined that she contends the issue of civil unions is of such societal importance that it should involve all citizens of Hawaii. She added that the last-minute legislative manoeuvring by the House that brought the bill to vote on the very last day of session was wrong. The bill would have extended same sex and opposite sex couples to right to enter into civil unions, and receive the same benefits, rights, and responsibilities as marriage under state law. It would have also recognized same sex marriages, civil unions, or domestic partnerships performed in other states as civil unions in Hawaii. The House speaker announced on Friday that the legislature would not return for a one-day veto override session, so the decision by the Republican governor Tuesday is final.

Tuesday, the government of Mexico City announced that there have been 271 gay and lesbian marriages in the country’s capital since a law extending the right to wed to same sex couples came into effect March 4th, 2010. Mexico’s Supreme Court is currently considering a challenge to the law; however until a ruling the gay marriage measure remains valid. A decision is expected to be made in or around August.

Pfc. Bradley E. Manning, 22 years old, an Army intelligence analyst on active duty in Iraq has been charged with leaking classified information including a video that was aired on the website WikiLeaks showing a 2007 Apache helicopter attack that killed twelve civilians in Baghdad. Manning, who is reportedly transgendered, has been in military custody since May, held in Kuwait after a former hacker reported him. According to the charge sheet, he has been charged with improperly downloading the video, 150,000 State Department cables, and a classified Power Point presentation to his personal computer. He faces an Article 32 proceeding – akin to a grand jury investigation – to determine whether there is enough evidence to convene a court martial. If convicted, he faces as many as 52 years in prison.

Lindsay Lohan has been sentenced to 90 days in jail, a Los Angeles Superior Court Judge ruling the embattled actress violated her probation in a 2007 drug case by failing to attend alcohol education classes. Superior Court Judge Marsha Revel also ruled Lohan attend an inpatient rehab program. Prosecutors were seeking a 30 day sentence. Lohan will be permitted to surrender on July 20th. Revel, in making her ruling, said that there were “a number of instances that would show her not taking things seriously.” Lohan broke down in tears after the verdict was read.