Chicago newspaper reporters (and us savvy blog columnists) are saying that Illinois Senator Roland Burris will soon announce he won't seek election to the seat in 2010. Senator Burris has made news recently for refusing to resign his appointment in the wake of rumored involvement in the Blagojevich investigation.

 

Illinois Democrats, led by interim Governor Patrick Quinn and Senator Dick Durbin (D-IL), are calling for Burris to leave office now because of reports that he did in fact attempt to raise money for impeached Governor Rod Blagojevich as a condition for receiving the Senatorial appointment. Quinn, elected as the state's Lt. Governor, assumed the state's top job when Blagojevich was removed from office. Burris had previously testified before a state legislative investigatory committee that he and the former Governor had no financial arrangement relating to President Obama's vacated legislative position.

 

Should Burris actually make the expected 2010 announcement, there are many in the wings waiting to jump into the 2010 race. Among Democrats, Illinois State Treasurer Alexi Giannoulias and Congresswoman Jan Schakowsky (D-Evanston) have already expressed interest in running for the Seat. Republican Congressman Mark Kirk (R-Kenilworth), who has held a Democratic-leaning district through the worst of elections for his party, is the prime GOP recruit.

 

The after-effects of the Blagojevich scandal and appointment mess seems to be opening the door for Republicans, hence the Democrats' desire to remove the tainted Burris from the field of candidates as quickly as possible.

The advocates for same sex marriage in California routinely disclaim any goal of trumping the rights of religious citizens, including those who disagree with them.  Yet the actions of members of the homosexual community speak much louder than their words.

Merry Christmas everyone!  I pray your Christmas celebration with your family was wonderful.
 
I know many people plan to spend some of their time off with their families by going to the movies - mainly this weekend.  One of the movies that came out just yesterday (Christmas Day) is "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" staring Brad Pitt.  I recommend that you NOT see this movie.  My recommendation is not due to the content of the movie. Rather it is due to Brad Pitt exercising his right to support the No on Prop. 8 campaign by giving it $100,000.
 
While I support Mr. Pitt's right to express his opinion in a political campaign, I also reserve the right to express MY opinion by NOT going to see his movie.  If I did, I would indirectly support his fight against traditional marriage.  Most actors at his level get a "piece of the box office proceeds" and, therefore, I strongly suspect that if I spend $10 to see this movie, a portion of that $10 would go to Mr. Pitt.
 
Therefore I will be seeing some other movie - perhaps "Marley & Me" (My wife and I have a yellow Labrador :-) .  Of course I have no guarantee that someone in that movie doesn't support the No on Prop. 8 campaign (such as Mr. Pitt's former spouse Jennifer Aniston), but I have no actual knowledge of that.  Since I have actual knowledge of Mr. Pitt's large donation to a cause against my values, I am knowingly exercising my right to not support that cause.

I guess you can call this activism at the movies!

Coming as no surprise to anyone, Attorney General Jerry Brown has announced that he is switching sides and will now ask the California Supreme Court to overturn Prop. 8.  His publicly stated reasoning is that after review and thought about the issue, he feels the Proposition violates the "basic rights" of homosexuals.

Given his pre-November 4th support for the No on Prop. 8 campaign, including, significantly, his changing the Proposition's official title to a very negative sounding one, his "switch" is no surprise.  Never mind his oath of office as Attorney General includes the legal defense of the people's will as expressed in Prop. 8's change in the California constitution.  Jerry Brown has always bowed to political correctness and a strong liberal bent expressed with the view that the constitution is a "living document" where principal gives way to the latest cultural whims.   In fact, given his absolute 100% support for homosexual marriage, I am only surprised it took him so long to join the No on Prop. 8 folks asking the CA. Supremes to overturn the people's will.   

What this "switch" really proves is the wisdom of the official proponents of Prop. 8 (the Protectmarriage.com folks) by filing motions with the Court and being allowed to join the lawsuits against Prop. 8 as a party to the case.  This means that they will have a full place at the table to defend the people's will rather than relying on turncoat Jerry Brown to defend the Proposition Brown has now declared he will try to have invalidated. 

The Yes on Prop. 8 campaign folks have already proved that they have the wisdom and discipline to wage a great campaign in the passage of Prop. 8 on Nov. 4th.  They have again proven that by their recent hiring of Pepperdine Law School Dean Kenneth Starr as the lead counsel for their side of the case.  I am sure Judge Starr and the rest of the Yes on Prop. 8 legal team will provide a first class legal defense of the constitutional amendment. 

What remains to be seen is if the California Supreme Court will respect the voter's will or not. 

Outgoing Delaware Governor Ruth Ann Minner announced yesterday that Ted Kaufman, former Biden chief of staff, will be appointed to the United States Senate when Vice-President-elect Joe Biden takes office in January.

Kaufman served as Biden's top congressional staffer from 1975-1994, in addition to two years in a legislative position. Since 1991, the Senatorial-designee has been a Senior Lecturing Fellow at Duke University as well as teaching at the Fuqua School of Business. In 1995, he was appointed by President Clinton to serve as a charter member of the Broadcasting Board of Governors, the commission that oversees the federal government's radio broadcasting operations, including Radio Free Europe and Asia, Radio and TV Marti, as well as The Middle East Broadcasting Network.

There is speculation that Kaufman will hold the position for Beau Biden, Attorney General of Delware, who may consider running for his father's office when it comes up for election in 2010, and once he has finished his tour of duty in Iraq.

For Immediate Release

Contact: President Brad Dacus (916) 857-6900

 

San Francisco, CA - The California Supreme Court has just issued a brief in response to several lawsuits challenging Proposition 8.

The Court denied requests to stay enforcement of Prop. 8, meaning that the voters' rejection of gay marriage will stand--at least for a few months. The Court has now requested briefing on three issues: whether Prop. 8 is a "revision" of the state constitution which cannot be achieved through the initiative process; whether Prop. 8 violates the "separation of powers;" and what effect Prop. 8 would have, if it is upheld, on the gay weddings performed before its adoption. The Court has asked for briefing from Attorney General Jerry Brown and the official proponents of Prop. 8 by December 19, with amicus briefs due on January 15. The Court will hear oral arguments sometime in early 2009.

Pacific Justice Institute (PJI) was one of the first organizations to oppose the petitions requesting that Prop. 8 be invalidated and focused its initial briefs on defeating the requests for an immediate stay. PJI will file further briefings with the Court in the coming months explaining why Prop. 8 should be upheld. Brad Dacus, president of PJI, commented, "We are pleased that the Court has taken this initial step to safeguard the will of the people, but we must continue to fight for Prop. 8 until its legality is fully and finally acknowledged by the Court."