Proposition 8 Proponents Protect Marriage File Appeal In 9th Circuit Court, Maine Catholic Diocese Calls Judge Walker Ruling An Insult, Target Apologizes For Donation To Anti-Gay Political Action Committee And Sets Up Review Protocol For Future Contributions

Proponents of Proposition 8 – the California gay marriage ban – have, as expected, filed an appeal of Chief United States District Judge Vaughn Walker’s ruling that struck down the voter amendment, saying it was effectively unconstitutional. The 9th Circuit Court in San Francisco has no deadline to hear the case – heard by a randomly selected three judge panel – but given the certainty that the case will go all the way to the Supreme Court, it will likely be heard soon. The appeal, filed Thursday by Protect Marriage, an ad hoc coalition of conservative and religious organizations that sponsored Proposition 8 and ended up as the defendants in the case of Perry et al v. Schwarzenegger et al after both the California governor and the attorney general, Jerry Brown, refused. Walker is on record saying he will entertain waiting until the 9th Circuit renders a ruling on the appeal before he makes his opinion final and requires the state to stop enforcing the ban which limits marriage license applications to that of one man and one woman. That opinion – all 136 pages – is in fact tremendous and perhaps required reading, Walker’s analytical mind, keen distinction separating fact from fiction, and his love of language wondrous.

Maine’s Roman Catholic Archdiocese, which spent an inordinate amount of money to back the Yes On 1 campaign that successfully overturned Maine’s gay marriage law last November, said that the decision by Judge Walker to strike down the same sex marriage ban is “an insult to millions of California residents” who voted for the amendment to the state constitution defining marriage as that only existing between a man and a woman.

Target has issued an actual apology for contributing $150,000 to MN Forward, a conservative political action committee that in turn supported anti-gay Minnesota gubernatorial candidate, Republican Tom Emmer. Target CEO Gregg Steinhafel wrote employees stating that the retail giant was “genuinely sorry” over the manner by which the contribution played out, and added that the company would structure a review process for any further political donations. “While I firmly believe that a business climate conducive to growth is critical to our future, I realize our decision affected many of your in a way I did not anticipate, and for that I am genuinely sorry,” adding that “the diversity of our team is an important aspect of our unique culture and our success as a company, and we did not mean to disappoint you, our team or our valued guests.” Steinhafel has initially argued that Emmer stood for fiscal responsibility and that his platform to strengthen the economy of Minnesota – where Target is based – was superior to other candidates. However, the corporation, which now only counts a large gay customer base, is active in supporting the local LGBT community, and a backlash, most obvious in calls for boycotts, arose. OutFront Minnesota, a gay rights advocacy group among those who called for a boycott, and executive director Monica Meyer said of the apology “we appreciate they are taking this really seriously. People will feel good about being heard. Some will probably be holding back to wait and see what the next statement and the next move is.”