<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span></span></div><div><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Courtesy of the Deseret News (Salt Lake City, Utah) at:</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></div><div><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><a href="http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765644306/Women-aim-to-block-Idaho-from-gay-marriage-fight.html">http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765644306/Women-aim-to-block-Idaho-from-gay-marriage-fight.html</a></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">----------------------------------</div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><br></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><h1 itemprop="headline" class="story-headline" style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; border: 0px solid rgb(225, 225, 225); font-weight: normal; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; line-height: 1.2; font-size: 31px; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', serif; color: rgb(69, 69, 69);">Women aim to block Idaho from gay marriage fight</h1></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">BOISE, Idaho — Four couples challenging Idaho's gay marriage ban this week asked a federal judge to block the state from intervening in their lawsuit, arguing such a move would unnecessarily add to their workload and complicate the case.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">They first filed their complaint in U.S. District Court in November against Gov. C.L. "Butch" Otter and Ada County Clerk Chris Rich, contending Idaho's 2006 voter-backed law banning gay marriage violates the U.S. Constitution's equal protection and due process guarantees.</span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; border: 0px solid rgb(225, 225, 225);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Deborah Ferguson, the couples' Boise-based lawyer, contends allowing Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden to intervene on behalf of the state isn't necessary, since Otter is already an adequate representative of the state's interests.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; border: 0px solid rgb(225, 225, 225);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"It is unusual to have the state intervene when its interests are already represented through the governor," Ferguson said in an interview with The Associated Press on Thursday.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; border: 0px solid rgb(225, 225, 225);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">This Idaho case is developing just as judges in New Mexico, Ohio and Utah ruled in favor of same-sex marriage recently.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; border: 0px solid rgb(225, 225, 225);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The eight Idaho women who sued are Sue Latta and Traci Ehlers, Lori and Sharene Watsen, Shelia Robertson and Andrea Altmayer, and Amber Beierle and Rachael Robertson.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; border: 0px solid rgb(225, 225, 225);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Ferguson said Wasden's bid to intervene didn't identify any state interest that's distinct from the interests of Otter or Rich, nor did the attorney general demonstrate that state officers will fail to adequately represent Idaho's interests.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; border: 0px solid rgb(225, 225, 225);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Inserting an additional party into this case with interests identical to those of existing defendants will prejudice plaintiffs by causing complication and delay," she said.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; border: 0px solid rgb(225, 225, 225);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Meanwhile, Wasden counters Idaho has a strong interest and right to defend its laws that come under constitutional attack — and it's his job to do it.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; border: 0px solid rgb(225, 225, 225);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"I have an obligation to defend the Constitution and the statutes of Idaho, and that's what we intend to do," he said Thursday. "The position of the governor and the attorney general will be very similar. I don't see how it's going to complicate the process."</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; border: 0px solid rgb(225, 225, 225);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Wasden also said the federal courts' decisions — whether in Idaho, Utah, Ohio or elsewhere — are almost certainly not going to be the last word in the matter of whether state gay marriage bans are legal.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; border: 0px solid rgb(225, 225, 225);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"The ultimate answer is going to be issued by the U.S. Supreme Court," he said.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; border: 0px solid rgb(225, 225, 225);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Idaho women, represented by Ferguson as well as the National Center for Lesbian Rights, have adopted a legal strategy that's been effective in Ohio, so far.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; border: 0px solid rgb(225, 225, 225);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">They contend Idaho has historically recognized marriages performed in other states that would have been considered illegal under Idaho law, such as marriages between first cousins and common-law marriages, but has unconstitutionally drawn the line at gay marriage.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; border: 0px solid rgb(225, 225, 225);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Among other things, the women say they're already facing potential discrimination as a result of Idaho's ban: For instance, even though they're allowed to file joint federal tax returns like other married couples, they're prohibited from joint state tax filing status in Idaho, forcing them to do extra work and potentially subjecting them to financial penalties.</span></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; border: 0px solid rgb(225, 225, 225);"><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Through his own attorneys, Rich, the Ada County clerk, has said he had no objection to Wasden intervening on the state's behalf.</span></p></div><div style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">----------------------------------<br><br><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Seeya 'round town, Moscow, because . . .</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"Moscow Cares" (the most fun you can have with your pants on)</span></div><div><a href="http://www.moscowcares.com/" style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><font color="#000000">http://www.MoscowCares.com</font></a></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"> </span></div><div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Tom Hansen</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">Moscow, Idaho</span></div></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">"There's room at the top they are telling you still.</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">But first you must learn to smile as you kill,</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">If you want to be like the folks on the hill."</span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br></span></div><div><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">- John Lennon</span></div></div></div></div></div></body></html>