A federal judge in Nevada has canceled oral arguments in a lawsuit challenging Nevada's ban on gay marriage. ??A federal district court judge in Nevada has canceled oral arguments in a lawsuit challenging Nevada's ban on gay marriage. U.S. District Chief Judge Robert Jones has canceled a hearing previously scheduled to take place on November 26 in Reno. Instead, Jones is expected to render an opinion based on briefs filed in the case, reported Prop 8 Trial Tracker, a blog of gay rights advocate Courage Campaign. During an August 10 initial hearing, Jones expressed skepticism about the need for a separate hearing. Lambda Legal filed the challenge in April on behalf of eight gay and lesbian couples who wish to marry in Nevada. The lead plaintiffs in the case are two women in their 70s who have raised 3 children and have 4 grandchildren. Beverly Sevcik, 73, and Mary Baranovich, 76, have been together more than four decades. Jones reportedly told lawyers from both sides that he wanted to q

The White House is keeping mum on whether the Supreme Court should take a gay marriage case. The White House is keeping mum on whether the Supreme Court should take a gay marriage case. White House press secretary Jay Carney was asked at a press conference on Tuesday whether the high court could review a lower court's ruling declaring unconstitutional Proposition 8, California's gay marriage ban. ?I will ask you to direct it to the Justice Department,? Carney said. ?I'm not going to make policy toward Supreme Court cases from here.? The Justice Department is in favor of the court looking at cases that involve the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the 1996 law which prevents federal agencies from recognizing the legal marriages of gay and lesbian couples. President Barack Obama in May endorsed gay nuptials and has previously said he's opposed to DOMA and amendments such as Proposition 8. Striking down DOMA would only affect states where such unions are already legal. A review of a state c

Ted Olson is helping Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan prepare for an upcoming debate against Vice President Joe Biden. Ted Olson, the lead attorney arguing that California's gay marriage ban, Proposition 8, is unconstitutional, is helping Wisconsin Rep. Paul Ryan prepare for an upcoming debate against Vice President Joe Biden. ?Joe Biden has been in elected office for more than 40 years,? Ryan spokesperson Brendan Buck said. ?There are few people in politics with more experience debating the issues than Joe Biden, so we are taking this process seriously. Mr. Olson is one of the most skilled, intelligent and successful litigators in America ? just the kind of opponent needed to prepare the congressman for Mr. Biden.? The news, first reported by POLITICO.com, has drawn heavy criticism. Jerame Davis, executive director of the National Stonewall Democrats, charged that Olson was contradicting himself by assisting Ryan, the GOP running mate of Mitt Romney. Romney supports a federal constitutional a

Actor-director LeVar Burton has joined the NOH8 Campaign. Actor-director LeVar Burton has joined the NOH8 Campaign, which raises awareness and funds for gay rights causes, including ending California's 2008 voter-approved gay marriage ban, Proposition 8. Burton first came to prominence playing Kunta Kinte in the ABC miniseries Roots. He is best known for his portrayal of Lt. Commander Geordi La Forge on Star Trek: The Next Generation. The campaign's Adam Bouska and his partner Jeff Parshley photograph celebrities, politicians, professional athletes and everyday folks with their mouths duct taped and the campaign's familiar ?NOH8? slogan often written on one cheek. In his photograph, the 55-year-old Burton is wearing a white t-shirt and his eyes are duct taped, a reference to his Star Trek character who is blind and wore a VISOR, which provided him with a sense of sight. Recent celebrities who have joined the NOH8 Campaign include singer LeAnn Rimes, actor Taye Diggs, actor James Van De

Gay couples in California could regain the right to marry as early as next month if the Supreme Court decides not to hear Prop 8 case. Gay and lesbian couples in California could regain the right to marry as early as next month if the Supreme Court decides not to hear a case on the state's gay marriage ban, Proposition 8. In 2008, voters narrowly approved the amendment to the state's constitution in response to a California Supreme Court ruling which legalized such unions. Approximately 18,000 couples married before Proposition 8 was approved. The amendment was found to be unconstitutional by a federal district court in 2010 and the ruling was upheld by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals. Prop 8 supporters earlier this year asked the Supreme Court to review the decision. According to the American Foundation for Equal Rights (AFER), the group formed specifically to challenge the ban, the high court's decision to take the case could come as early as September 25. If the court agrees to h

Massachusetts Representative Barney Frank has described gay Republicans as 'Uncle Toms'. Massachusetts Representative Barney Frank has described gay Republicans as ?Uncle Toms.? The openly gay 72-year-old Frank first made the assertion during an appearance on SiriusXM's OutQ radio show and he repeated the claim Thursday as he participated in a panel program of the LGBT Caucus at the Democratic National Convention (DNC). ?When they tell us that they're happy to be Republicans because they're getting acceptance and civility, I gotta say that I am again inclined to think that they're called Log Cabin club because their role model is Uncle Tom,? Frank said. R. Clarke Cooper, executive director of the Log Cabin Republicans, responded by describing Frank as the party's ?attack dog? on gay rights. ?We understand that Barney has earned his protected place within the Democrat Party by being their attack dog on gay rights issues, demonizing Republicans and undermining efforts at bipartisanship t

Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is among the city officials to join the NOH8 Campaign. Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is among the city officials to join the NOH8 Campaign, which raises awareness and funds for gay rights causes, including ending California's 2008 voter-approved gay marriage ban, Proposition 8. The campaign's Adam Bouska and his partner Jeff Parshley photograph celebrities, politicians, professional athletes and everyday folks with their mouths duct taped and the campaign's familiar ?NOH8? slogan often written on one cheek. Villaraigosa also chairs the 2012 Democratic National Convention. ?If we truly believe in family values, we should value all families,? Villaraigosa said in a statement. ?I have supported marriage equality since 1994, opposed and fought Proposition 8, and I am proud to serve as chair of the first national convention ? Democrat or Republican ? to adopt marriage equality as part of the party platform. It is a privilege to join with NOH8

Salvatore Cordileone, the Roman Catholic archbishop-elect of San Francisco, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. ?Salvatore Cordileone, the Roman Catholic archbishop-elect of San Francisco, was arrested on suspicion of driving under the influence. According to the AP, Cordileone was taken into custody after being stopped early Saturday, August 27 in San Diego. The 56-year-old Cordileone apologized for his ?error in judgment? in a statement released Monday. Pope Benedict XVI named Cordileone, who has served as Bishop of Oakland since 2009, for the job as archbishop last month, and he is set to assume the position in October. Cordileone played an instrumental role in passage of Proposition 8, California's gay marriage ban. In 2008, Cordileone, then bishop of San Diego, reached out to help raise $1.5 million to get the measure on the ballot. He organized leading evangelical Christian leaders, such as the Rev. Jim Garlow of Skyline Church, to back the amendment. And he

Two gay couples challenging the constitutionality of Prop 8 have asked the Supreme Court to pass on a gay marriage case. Two gay couples challenging the constitutionality of Proposition 8, California's gay marriage ban, have asked the Supreme Court to refuse to hear an appeal by gay marriage foes. Two lower courts have sided with plaintiffs, and last month Prop 8 backers asked the high court to review the case. Lawyers for the plaintiffs, led by Ted Olson and David Boies, argued in a court filing on Friday that while the case could be an ?attractive vehicle? for determining ?whether the States may discriminate against gay men and lesbians in the provision of marriage licenses,? the court's review is ?not warranted? because a lower court had already arrived at the correct legal conclusion. ?[T]he Ninth Circuit found that eliminating the ability of gay and lesbian couples to have their relationships designated as marriages ? and relegating them to separate and unequal domestic partnershi

Kristen Bell and her fiancee Dax Shepard would be willing to share their bed with Jennifer Lopez or Taylor Kitsch. Kristen Bell and her fiancee Dax Shepard would be willing to share their bed with Jennifer Lopez or Taylor Kitsch. In a CNN interview to pitch their upcoming comedy film Hit & Run, the couple were asked if they had a ?freebie? list. ?We have the same freebie, weirdly,? Shepard answered, then prompted Bell, ?On the count of three. Three, two, one.? ?Jennifer Lopez,? Bell answered at the same time that Shepard said, ?Taylor Kitsch.? ?Oh, I was supposed to say Taylor Kitsch,? Bell said. ?But he's got to have long hair so I can get through it,? Shepard added. ?I have to be able to pretend he's female.? ?We've spent many a, many a night watching Friday Night Lights and wondering how could we appropriately ask the question, 'Do you want to enter our marriage?' Bell said. (The video is embedded on this page. Visit our video library for more videos.) (Related: Kristen Bell, Dax Sh

Fred Karger is working on plans to boycott the Orlando Magic NBA basketball team over an anti-gay marriage donation. Former GOP presidential candidate Fred Karger is headed to Florida to attend the Republican convention and set in motion plans to boycott the Orlando Magic NBA basketball team over anti-gay marriage donations made by its owners. Earlier this month, Karger announced a boycott against Amway and the Orlando Magic over a donation give by its president in support of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM), the nation's most vociferous opponent of gay marriage. Doug DeVos in 2009 gave $500,000 to the National Organization for Marriage Education Fund through his Douglas & Maria DeVos Foundation. And Richard DeVos, Doug DeVos' father, gave $100,000 in 2008 to the campaign to approve Amendment 2, Florida's constitutional amendment which defines marriage as a heterosexual union. The Orlando Magic is owned by RDV Sports, Inc., a Michigan-based corporation set up by the DeVos f

Kristen Bell and fiancee Dax Shepard are holding off on plans to marry until gay marriage is legalized in California. Kristen Bell and fiancee Dax Shepard are holding off on plans to marry until gay marriage is legalized in California. The actors have been engaged since 2009. In an appearance on Larry King Now to pitch their upcoming film Hit & Run, the couple reiterated that the wedding is currently on hold. On the program, King noted that a federal appeals court had ruled the state's 2008 voter-approved gay marriage ban, Prop 8, unconstitutional. ?Once it's official and everybody stops appealing it ? we'll get married,? Bell said. ?I'll feel more comfortable having a party or whatever we have, if anything, inviting half of our friends that are homosexual ? It's just kind of, I think, a little bit rude to invite everyone to a party of a right that not everybody holds,? Bell said. ?My analogy is if we were at this age in the sixties and I had a birthday party and half our friends were

The Supreme Court has been asked to hear a fourth case related to the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). The Supreme Court has been asked to hear a fourth case related to the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the 1996 law which outlaws federal agencies from recognizing the legal marriages of gay and lesbian couples. On Wednesday, the Massachusetts-based legal group Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders (GLAD) asked the high court to review a case challenging the constitutionality of the law. Last month, a federal district court judge in Connecticut ruled in Pederson v. Office of Personnel Management (OPM) that DOMA violates the Constitutional rights of gay and lesbian couples. Judge Vanessa Bryant issued a 104-page ruling, which concluded that the ?Court finds that no conceivable rational basis exists for the provision.? ?The provision [Section 3 of DOMA] therefore violates the equal protection principles incorporated in the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution.? Lead plaintiff J

The campaign committee for Prop 8 has agreed to pay $49,000 in fines for failing to properly report more than $1 million. ?The campaign committee for Proposition 8, the 2008 referendum which banned gay marriage in California, will pay $49,000 in fines for failing to properly report more than $1 million in contributions. According to the Los Angeles Times, the California Fair Political Practices Commission (FPPC) determined that ProtectMarriage.com ? Yes on 8 failed to properly report late contributions and contributions over $5,000. The fines, based on 18 counts of violating state campaign finance laws, were proposed by the enforcement staff of the FPPC, and were given final approval on Thursday. The paper added that ProtectMarriage.com has admitted to the violations and agreed to pay the fines. The commission was urged to investigate further but commission enforcement chief Gary Winuk said the investigation had turned up no further wrongdoing. Proposition 8 put an end to the marriages

Utah gubernatorial candidate Peter Cooke has rejected his party platform's stance on gay marriage. Utah gubernatorial candidate Peter Cooke has rejected his party platform's stance on gay marriage. Over the weekend, the Democratic Party Platform Committee approved a platform which includes for the first time a gay marriage plank. Democrats will gather on September 3 in Charlotte to vote on the platform. Cooke, a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons), said that he supported ?Utah values? and that his opposition to marriage equality stems from his faith. The Mormon Church actively supported passage of Proposition 8, California's gay marriage ban, and has been accused of supporting groups which oppose the legalization of gay nuptials. ?To me gay marriage is part of my religious belief and I support that and I respect other religious beliefs and I support and love those who are in the gay community,? Cooke told The Salt Lake Tribune. ?I think what needs to

The campaign committee for Proposition 8 is facing $49,000 in fines for failing to properly report more than $1 million. ?The campaign committee for Proposition 8, the 2008 referendum which banned gay marriage in California, is facing $49,000 in fines for failing to properly report more than $1 million in contributions. According to the Los Angeles Times, the California Fair Political Practices Commission says ProtectMarriage.com ? Yes on 8 failed to properly report late contributions and contributions over $5,000. The fines, based on 18 counts of violating state campaign finance laws, are proposed by the enforcement staff of the FPPC, and? will be considered during an August 16 meeting. The paper added that ProtectMarriage.com has conceded to the violations and agreed to pay the fines. Proposition 8 put an end to the marriages of gay and lesbian couples taking place in the state after the California Supreme Court ruled against the state's ban on such unions. Approximately 18,000 gay c

Opponents of gay marriage in California have asked the Supreme Court to overturn a federal court's ruling against Prop 8. Opponents of gay marriage in California on Tuesday asked the Supreme Court to overturn a federal appeals court ruling declaring Proposition 8 to be unconstitutional. Prop 8 is the 2008 voter-approved constitutional amendment which put an end to the marriages of gay and lesbian couples taking place in the state after the California Supreme Court ruled against the state's ban on such unions. Approximately 18,000 gay couples married before Prop 8 went into effect. In its filing, Protect Marriage, the sponsors of the measure, described the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruling as ?misguided.? ?Our constitution does not mandate the traditional definition of marriage, but neither does our Constitution condemn it,? the group said. ?Rather, it leaves the definition of marriage in the hands of the people, to be resolved through the democratic process in each state.? The cour

Opponents of gay marriage in California filed an appeal Tuesday asking the US Supreme Court to overturn a federal court decision legalizing same-sex unions.

Married couple LeAnn Rimes and Eddie Cibrian have posed together for the NOH8 Campaign. ?Married couple LeAnn Rimes and Eddie Cibrian have posed together for the NOH8 Campaign, which raises awareness and funds for gay rights causes, including ending California's 2008 voter-approved gay marriage ban, Proposition 8. Singer Rimes, 29, and actor Cibrian, 39, married last year in California. This is the second time Rimes has posed for the campaign, which is helmed by photographer-activist Adam Bouska and his partner Jeff Parshley. The pair photograph celebrities, politicians, professional athletes and everyday folks with their mouths duct taped and the campaign's familiar ?NOH8? slogan often written on one cheek. In their photo, Cibrian sports a three-day growth and is wearing a white t-shirt as he props up Rimes' head with one hand. In recent remarks to gay weekly Pride Source, Rimes said she advocates for gay rights because she believes in equality. ?It just breaks my heart seeing kids co

The Vatican on Friday named Salvatore Cordileone as Archbishop of San Francisco. The Vatican on Friday named Salvatore Cordileone as Archbishop of San Francisco. Pope Benedict XVI's appointment of Cordileone, who has served as Bishop of Oakland since 2009, was announced in a statement released Friday morning. ?I'm humbled by the confidence that Pope Benedict XVI has placed in me by entrusting to me the pastoral care of the Archdiocese of San Francisco,? said Cordileone during a press conference. ?I am pleased to welcome Archbishop-elect Cordileone,? said outgoing Archbishop George Niederauer, who has served in the post since December 2005. ?And to assure him of our prayers, loyalty, support and cooperation, as well as our friendship and affection.? Cordileone played an instrumental role in passage of Proposition 8, California's gay marriage ban. In 2008, Cordileone, then bishop of San Diego, reached out to help raise $1.5 million to get the measure on the ballot. He also organized lead