Schwarzenegger urges resumption of same-sex marriages
(AFP) – 26 minutes ago
LOS ANGELES — California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger weighed into the same-sex marriage legal battle Friday, filing a motion demanding gays and lesbians be allowed to resume tying the knot immediately.
Schwarzenegger's legal bid came as a federal judge who overturned the state's ban on same-sex marriage mulled a request by supporters of the ban to bar further homosexual weddings until the appeals process had been exhausted.
"The Administration believes the public interest is best served by permitting the Court's judgement to go into effect, thereby restoring the right of same-sex couples to marry in California," Schwarzenegger's motion said.
"Doing so is consistent with California's long history of treating all people and their relationships with equal dignity and respect.
"As the Court has pointed out, California has already issued 18,000 marriage licenses to same-sex couples without suffering any resulting harm."
It was not immediately clear when Judge Vaughn Walker would rule on when same-sex weddings would resume, having initially indicated that a decision could be made on Friday.
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