Antigay California senator out on medical leave (12049)

Less than a week after surprising gay rights activists with an apparent change of heart regarding the legality of same-sex unions, California's notoriously antigay state senator William "Pete" Knight (R-Palmdale) has placed himself on a medical leave of absence. David Orosco, a spokesman for Knight's office, told the Victorville Daily Press that the senator will undergo medical-related testing, but he would not comment further on his current medical condition or how long he will be absent from the California senate.

Knight is the author of Proposition 22, the California law that defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman, and he is the architect of several antigay lawsuits. Last Thursday the Sacramento News & Review reported that Knight said he would now "support something short of marriage" for same-sex couples if gay rights activists would abandon their efforts to legally challenge or legislatively change the definition of marriage. The surprising change of heart was hailed by some activists as evidence that the same-sex marriage movement is gaining momentum. Knight originally made the comments during a March 24 meeting with Equality California, a state-level gay rights group. "The fact that Senator Knight, a man who has spent many years fighting to prevent families headed by lesbian and gay couples from obtaining any legal rights, has shifted his position demonstrates his acknowledgement that most Californians do not support his extreme position," said Geoffrey Kors, executive director of Equality California. "His move toward allowing rights and benefits for same-sex couples in exchange for our accepting some form of second-class status for our relationships is a clear sign that he realizes that the march toward equality cannot be stopped."

Members of the state assembly said they don't feel there is reason for concern over Knight's leave, saying it will be "business as usual" during his absence. "Senator Knight's office has the highest integrity. If there was a serious problem, they would certainly let people know," Mark Kirk, district director for Assemblywoman Sharon Runner (R-Lancaster), told the Daily Press. Runner said she was unaware that Knight was undergoing any testing or that he had any medical condition that would cause any extended absence. However, she added, "we were all on spring break last week, so I haven't seen him." Others in Sacramento expressed the same nonchalant attitude regarding Knight's absence.