On Monday the Supreme Court shot down the National Organization of Marriage's latest appeal meant to challenge U.S. District Judge Michael McShane's ruling that allows Oregon's same sex couples to wed. Previously McShane took action to declare Oregon's ban on same sex marriage, which was passed via referendum, unconstitutional.
"It's a good day," said Lake Perriguey, the Portland-based attorney responsible for handling one of the lawsuits that resulted in McShane's decision, told the Oregonian. "It's a distraction we don't have to worry about anymore."
Because Oregon's Attorney General Ellen Rosenblum has similarly come out in support of same sex marriage in the state meaning that there's little to no chance that that McShane's ruling can currently be appealed. As NOM chairman John Eastman explained, however, the organization still has the potential to fight marriage equality in Oregon thanks to four upcoming Supreme Court cases challenging the bans in Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and Tennessee.
According to Eastman, should the Justices ultimately rule that any of the four states are within their right to oppose gay marriage, NOM or another organization will be in a prime position to compel Rosenblum to challenge McShane's decision. The Supreme Court is set to hear the four upcoming casts on the 28th of April.
