Whitburn Politics Tracker BREAKING
SANDERS TO TESTIFY IN FED PROP 8 TRIAL -
San Diego Mayor Jerry Sanders will be a witness in the upcoming federal court trial over the constitutionality of California’s Proposition 8, according to San Francisco City Attorney Dennis Herrera.
Herrera announced Sanders’ participation today at a San Diego fundraiser for Herrera’s reelection.
Herrera said he traveled to San Diego last week to meet with Sanders and that Sanders readily agreed to testify in the case, which seeks to overturn the constitutional amendment banning same sex marriage narrowly approved by California voters last year.
Sanders, a Republican, gained national prominence in the marriage equality debate two years ago when he changed his mind and announced that he would sign a City Council resolution directing the City Attorney to file a court brief in support of same sex marriage.
Sanders announced his change of heart in an emotional news conference that has since been viewed more than 200,000 times on YouTube:
“I have close family members and friends who are members of the gay and lesbian community,” Sanders said at the Sept. 19, 2007 news conference. “Those folks include my daughter Lisa as well as members of my personal staff. I want for them the same thing we all want for our loved ones – for each of them to find a mate whom they love deeply and who loves them back; someone with whom they can grow old together and share life’s experiences. And I want their relationships to be protected equally under the law.”
The court case seeking to overturn Prop 8 was filed by attorneys Ted Olson and David Boies, famous for arguing against each other before the U.S. Supreme Court in the Bush v Gore case that decided the 2000 presidential election. The City of San Francisco has joined the federal lawsuit.
U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker has scheduled trial to begin on Jan. 11.
