by Rex Wockner - SGN Contributing Writer

Lambda fights for Arizona partner benefits
Lambda Legal presented oral arguments in U.S. District Court in Phoenix on June 28 to block a law that strips domestic-partner benefits from Gay and Lesbian state employees.

Arizona lawmakers eliminated health care for Gay state employees' partners in a budget bill signed by Gov. Jan Brewer last September.

Lambda represents 10 state employees whose partners need the benefits.

Wisconsin Gay marriage ban upheld
Wisconsin's constitutional ban on Gay marriage and civil unions was upheld by the state Supreme Court on June 30.

The court, in a 7-0 vote, disagreed with plaintiff Bill McConkey, who claimed the voter-passed amendment was invalid because the ballot initiative illegally presented voters with more than one issue simultaneously.

The amendment says: "Only a marriage between one man and one woman shall be valid or recognized as a marriage in this state. A legal status identical or substantially similar to that of marriage for unmarried individuals shall not be valid or recognized in this state."

The court concluded: "[T]he marriage amendment ... was adopted in conformity with the separate amendment rule in Article XII, Section 1 of the Wisconsin Constitution, which mandates that voters must be able to vote separately on separate amendments. Both sentences of the marriage amendment relate to marriage and tend to effect or carry out the same general purpose of preserving the legal status of marriage in Wisconsin as between only one man and one woman."

People For the American Way President Michael B. Keegan commented: "[This is] far from the final word on the subject. The court rejected a challenge to the state's marriage ban based on a narrow technicality, not a substantive challenge to its harmful content. I look forward to seeing further legal challenges to this ban."

Sen. Graham says he's not Gay
U.S. Sen. Lindsay Graham (R-S.C.) told The New York Times on June 28 that suggestions he is Gay are untrue.

"Like maybe I'm having a clandestine affair with Ricky Martin," he said. "I know it's really gonna upset a lot of Gay men - I'm sure hundreds of 'em are gonna be jumping off the Golden Gate Bridge - but I ain't available. I ain't Gay. Sorry."

With assistance from Bill Kelley

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