The Washington Independent

Posts Tagged vaughn walker

U.S. District Judge Strikes Down Prop 8

By | 08.04.10 | 5:10 pm

Chief U.S. District Judge Vaughn Walker decided today that gays and lesbians have a constitutional right to marry, thereby striking down Proposition 8 — the California measure narrowly approved by voters in 2008 that bans same-sex marriage.

Judge in Same-Sex Marriage Case Asks Why Pro-Prop 8 Side Called Only One Witness

By | 06.17.10 | 3:56 pm

As closing arguments ended Wednesday in the Northern California District Court trial on the constitutionality of Proposition 8, the state’s voter-approved ban of same-sex marriage — a case that’s likely headed to the Supreme Court — the judge in the case wanted to know why defenders of the initiative put More…

Judge: Warrantless Surveillance Was Illegal

By | 04.01.10 | 8:56 am

As first reported by Firedoglake’s Marcy Wheeler, a federal judge has ruled that the Bush administration illegally wiretapped the defunct Islamic charity al-Haramain, a major legal step in a years’-long battle to determine whether Bush’s constellation of warrantless surveillance programs begun after the 9/11 attacks broke the law. More…

Holder’s Invocation of State Secrets Privilege Shields Government From Accountability

By | 11.02.09 | 6:42 pm

As Marcy Wheeler and Glenn Greenwald both pointed out over the weekend, Eric Holder on Friday once again declared that a case charging government lawbreaking must be dismissed because to let it continue would reveal important “state secrets.” That’s despite the fact that Attorney General More…