By Eric W. Dolan/Raw Story
Republicans in Pennsylvania suggested Thursday their state’s attorney general was destroying democracy by refusing to defend a same-sex marriage ban.
“When executive branch officials refuse to defend Commonwealth law despite the clear duties imposed by both the Pennsylvanian Constitution and controlling statutes, the fundamental nature of the American experiment in representative democracy is called into question,” two dozen Republican lawmakers wrote to Attorney General Kathleen Kane in a joint letter (PDF).
“It is unacceptable for Attorney General Kathleen Kane to put her personal politics ahead of her taxpayer-funded job by abdicating her responsibilities. She is blatantly politicizing the highest law enforcement office in our Commonwealth at the expense of a core responsibility of the Attorney General’s office, GOP Chairman Rob Gleason added.
Kane, a Democrat, announced earlier that she would not defend the state’s same-sex marriage ban that has been challenged by a federal lawsuit.
“I cannot ethically defend the constitutionality of Pennsylvania’s version of DOMA, where I believe it to be wholly unconstitutional,” she said at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia. “I was elected as attorney general to represent the people of this commonwealth — all of the people of this commonwealth.”
The legal defense of the same-sex marriage ban falls to the governor’s attorneys or lawyers from state agencies.
The lawsuit, filed by the American Civil Liberties Union and the law firm Hangley Aronchick Segal Pudlin & Schiller, alleged Pennsylvania’s Defense of Marriage Act violated the fundamental right to marry as well as the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.
“We are pleased that the attorney general recognizes what we have long known – that Pennsylvania’s ban on marriage for same-sex couples is indefensible,” said Reggie Shuford, executive director of the ACLU of Pennsylvania. “We look forward to continuing the fight to make sure that one day every Pennsylvanian will be free to marry the person he or she loves.”
Source:http://www.blogger.com/feeds/22797374/posts/default/589337665391526825
Pennsylvania Republicans: Not defending same-sex marriage ban destroys democracy Images
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The media is in a frenzy over the Edward Snowden - NSA story. Snowden revealed Confidential NSA Security information that he swore an oath he would never divulge. Those that agree with Snowden call him a Whistleblower and Hero. Those that disagree with him call him a Traitor who deserted our Country and a Domestic Terrorist who is endangering the lives of Americans. The information on this story is varied, depending on the media outlet. What is amazing is, this is a bi-partisan story. Republicans and Democrats are for and against Snowden's actions. Michael Moore is siding with Glenn Beck. Mike Rodgers (Republican Chairman of House Intelligence Committee) is siding with President Obama.I decided to do some research so I could decide for myself how I felt about this issue. I created this timeline to allow you, my readers to see, in a nutshell, the Life of Edward Snowden. In compiling this information, I found Questions the Media is NOT asking. I am very curious WHY they are not asking these questions. (see end of this article for questions)Edward Snowden was born in 1983 in North Carolina. At age 9, his family moved to Maryland, a community comprised of Federal and CIA employees. Snowden was a non-achiever. He dropped out of High School in 10th grade. His parents had a difficult marriage and divorced when Snowden was 18. His Dad moved to Pennsylvania. His mom stayed in Maryland. Snowden moved to his own apartment near his mom. His mom paid the rent. Snowden loved video games and took some Community College courses. He also practiced karate. At 19, he was hired as the on-line tech for Ryuhana Press which specialized in on-line anime art. He joined several IT forums. In May 2004, when he was 21, he decided to join the Army. He wanted to be in the Green Beret and go to Iraq. He failed training and the Army discharged him in September 2004. He claimed he broke both of his legs, but the Army said there's no record of it.He moved back to his Maryland community and was hired as a Security Guard at the University of Maryland -- which has affiliations with the CIA. And, because of his computer skills, was hired as a tech for CIA Network Security. From 2007 - 2009, the CIA sent him to Geneva, again as a tech in Network Security. Snowden said he became disillusioned about the government invading people's privacy and quit. It was around this time that he bragged on-line about how his computer skills enabled him to get high paying jobs even with his limited education. Later in 2009, he worked as an NSA Military Contractor with Dell in Japan. He also commented on line that he loved travel and he loved Japan. In on-line forums he continued to complain about government invading privacy, yet at the same time, bragging about his travel, salary and lack of education/no Student Loans. In January, 2013, he contacted Laura Poitras who was well known for her documentary about the famous government whistle-blower "Daniel Ellsberg." Low achiever Snowden fancied himself another Daniel Ellsberg. News reports also indicate that in February, 2013 Snowden met with Glenn Greenwald from the Guardian. After these meetings, Snowden left his contractor job at Dell and in April, 2013, he joined Booz, Allen, Hamilton. In early May, Snowden copied 3 laptops full and several thumb drives full of Top Secret Confidential files. Then, on May 20, he flew to Hong Kong to meet with Glenn Greenwald who was the first reporter to cover the story.Now here's an interesting side note: Back in 2010, Greenwald wrote an article titled: "Mike McConnell, the WashPost & the dangers of sleazy corporatism." In this article, he wrote about Booz, Allen and "a political culture drowning in hidden conflicts of interests, exploitation of political office for profit, and a rapidly eroding wall separating the public and private spheres."Another interesting side note: In December, 2012, just one month before Snowden went to Poitras and Greenwald, a group of high-profile journalists and free-speech activists launched the "Freedom of the Press Foundation." Here is where this story gets really interesting: Both Poitras and Greenwald are FOUNDING MEMBERS. Daniel Ellsberg is ALSO a Founding Member.Now here is where my Questions come in: "Why Did Edward Snowden Leave NSA Contractor Dell and start working for Booz, Allen?" "Were there better Confidential/Security Secrets at Booz, Allen than he had at Dell?""Was there a better story created by secrets revealed at Booz, Allen?""How did Snowden get hired so quickly into Booz, Allen?" "Did someone provide him contacts? References?" "Did someone coach him to do this?""Who influenced him to do this and why?""Is Edward Snowden being used?" "Is he a pawn?""Why isn't the media asking these questions?"I don't have an agenda and I don't have the answers to these questions. Right now, I'm just CURIOUS why these obvious questions are not being asked by anyone.