|| News ||
Page 1 of 1

Coakley Redeemed With DOMA Ruling


Coakleyx390.jpg

Massachusetts attorney general Martha Coakley appears poised for political rehabilitation after losing the U.S. Senate race to Scott Brown this winter. Her comeback includes leading the state’s charge against the Defense of Marriage Act.

According to The Daily Beast, the decision against DOMA last week in a federal case brought by Coakley could help her move from the dark days when state and national Democrats blamed her for the loss of the Senate seat held by the late Edward M. Kennedy. The surprise Republican win ended the Democrats’ filibuster-proof majority and put a sour note on the Obama agenda.

“But six months later, Coakley, who stayed with her job as Massachusetts’ attorney general, is emerging from her time in the political wilderness — and scoring some major progressive victories,” reports The Daily Beast. “Liberals frustrated with Obama’s administration may find some inspiration in the woman who broke their hearts this January.”

Regarding the DOMA case, Coakley told reporter Samuel Jacobs that she brought the lawsuit because married same-sex couples in Massachusetts were forced to live by two sets of rules, one from their state and one from the federal government.

“We looked closer at what DOMA purported to do,” she said, “and determined that its only purpose was a discriminatory one.”

The Obama administration is expected to appeal the ruling, one of two from U.S. district judge Joseph L. Tauro that struck down Section 3 of DOMA. Some legal experts believe the ruling could be overturned.

Coakley is running for reelection this fall, with no Republican opponent.

Follow us on Twitter Follow us on Twitter. Follow us on Facebook Follow us on Facebook. Page 1 of 1
Reader Comments
  • Name: Joseph
    Date posted: 7/12/2010 2:58:37 PM
    Hometown: Montgomery, AL

    Comment:

    I'm sorry, but Ms Coakley owes Democrats absolutely nothing, except a reminder of how NON "filibuster-proof" the Democratic "majority" was. How much fucking legislation did the Dems manage to push through the Senate WITH that "filibuster-proof" majority? People (especially the Democratic leadership) seem to forget that Obama had a crap load of conservative Democrats that he couldn't always count on, and all of those Democrats are still there. More importantly, Obama kept risking his neck trying to gain a couple of GOP votes, but it seemed that for every GOP vote he won, he'd lose a Democrat in the process.

  • Name: Liam
    Date posted: 7/11/2010 6:13:10 PM
    Hometown: Portland

    Comment:

    I still can't believe that people were stupid enough to vote for Scott Brown, he's been nothing more than a typical republican thug since taking office and he's extremely homophobic.

  • Name: doug
    Date posted: 7/11/2010 6:02:35 PM
    Hometown: vb

    Comment:

    even with her in the senate...it's doubtful the dems would have had 60 votes- they repubs stand together- you have the beg the dems to do anything

  • Name: Ken
    Date posted: 7/11/2010 1:02:18 PM
    Hometown: Massachusetts

    Comment:

    The Mass. DOMA case that Coakley's office files was done before Ted Kennedy died. Martha Coakley has been a friend to the gay community.

  • Name: mike
    Date posted: 7/11/2010 12:25:40 PM
    Hometown: chicago

    Comment:

    Thank you Sean. While I too am far more often than not skeptical of our congressional "leaders," I don't often find myself in a position to say "THANKS." Now I am, and I, for once, am glad to say that we at LEAST seem to have found someone who will grow a set and stand up for what is right. Thanks Martha.

  • Name: Sean
    Date posted: 7/11/2010 11:32:57 AM
    Hometown: New Jersey

    Comment:

    I'm pretty sure that Martha filed the DOMA lawsuit while Sen. Kennedy was still alive so she would be making up for nothing now. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

  • Name: CountryBoy
    Date posted: 7/11/2010 10:51:42 AM
    Hometown: MO

    Comment:

    Not to look a gift horse in the mouth; but she is doing a 'mia culpa' to the LGBT community for not having actively worked to keep the Senate seat in Democratic hands. She is trying to salvage her political career by appealing to a large and politically powerful constituency in Massachusetts; the LGBT vote. That said; I hope she succeeds in getting DOMA thrown out, at least in Massachusetts.



Don't Miss
  • Best of Broadway Smash: Why You Will Love It

    Craig Zadan and Neil Meron, two of the producers of NBC’s new critically acclaimed musical series, explain why the backstage drama of creating a musical about Marilyn Monroe has mass appeal and why big stars like Anjelica Huston, Uma Thurman, Bernadette Peters, and Nick Jonas were eager to appear in it.

  • Best of Broadway How Broadway Does a Flea Market

    Find out why actress Kathleen Chalfant calls the annual Flea Market and Grand Auction in Times Square "the most glamorous flea market you've ever seen." It raised half a million dollars to fight HIV/AIDS.

  • Travel Slideshow Flag Gayest Cities in America, 2012

    It's no secret that megalopolises New York City, Chicago, and Los Angeles have robust LGBT life — and we've even heard tell of little queer hoods like the Castro and P-Town. This isn't that list.

 
 
Advocate Subscribe Promo Banner 300x50
 
Follow Us Follow Us on FacebookFollow Us on TwitterSubscribe to our RSS feedsDownload our app
Facebook Activity
 
1056 COVER X135 | ADVOCATE.COM
Today's Headlines