19 Criminal Counts Against New Paltz Mayor for Gay Marriages

WABC TV Channel 7

[atomicpossum]

Let him spend that year in jail. He can see how gay 'marriage' works from the business end.

[MeekOneGOP]

Well, it's about time ! Now if Californica could get with the program !! ...

See #18 ...

Excerpt:

NEW PALTZ, N.Y. — The mayor of this village was criminally charged Tuesday for marrying gay couples who did not have a license.

Jason West (search) faces 19 separate counts of solemnizing a marriage without a license, a misdemeanor under the domestic relations law, according to Ulster County District Attorney Donald Williams. Although West could face a maximum penalty of up to a year in jail, Williams said a jail term wasn't being contemplated at this point.

[pfflier]

A mayor swears to uphold the law. Nuke his liberal green party a$$.

[mewzilla]

He's the AG for the blue bits. And the gutless wonder just kissed the governor's mansion goodbye.

[Alberta's Child]

In a related story, many of the gay couples who were "married" in New Paltz last week expressed outrage at the county prosecutor's decision.

"It'th an outrage!" said Henry Fitzpatrick.

He and Patrick Fitzhenry are long-time companions from Northern Ireland who traveled to New Paltz last week because they thought it would be "cute" to exchange vows in a place called Ulster County.

/sarcasm off/

[curlewbird]

Here's his defense..... Your Honor,I submit that if the marriages are not legal, are they really married, and if they aren't really married, then did I really marry them without a license? The "Who's on first" defense! Finally though someone had the fortitude to do what they should have all along. Here in Iowa, gay couples went to an openly gay clerk (co. recorder perhaps, I can't recall right now),but she refused saying Iowa law did not allow it!

[Alberta's Child]

Interestingly enough, one of the dissenting votes in last year's Massachusetts Supreme Court case was cast by a lesbian judge on the court. She stated that while she would certainly be in favor of "same-sex marriage" as a voter in a democratic process, she could find no rationale for mandating it under the state constitution.

[protest1]

A great idea, but will the judges enforce any laws they disagree with? Will they will just interpret (make up) laws to enforce their own communist/atheist/anti-Christian opinions?

After all if the supreme court can find a constitutional right to sodomy then judges can make laws work any way they please.

[george wythe]

After all if the supreme court can find a constitutional right to sodomy then judges can make laws work any way they please.

Of course. A liberal judge can even give the mayor a medal.

We'll have to wait'n see

[edchambers]

(snip)Holy $hit, somebody with the stones to actually enforce the law and defend traditional values.(snip)

I've been wondering about this for some time now, since same sex marriage is in violation of both federal and most state law why do we need a constitutional amendment?Why not just enforce the law?It can't be that difficult to arrest a few judges and a couple of mayors

[NYer]

Associated Press

Four days after presiding over a slew of same sex marriages in his quaint Hudson Valley village, the mayor of New Paltz today was charged with 19 violations of New York's domestic relations law, injecting the debate over gay marriages in the state with increasing drama and urgency.

Jason West, 26-year-old Green Party mayor, was ordered to appear in court Wednesday to answer charges that he broke state law by solomizing about two dozen weddings without a marriage license, according to New Paltz police and West's lawyer.

Chief Raymond Zappone said he and a lieutenant from the town police served a 19-count summons to West Tuesday afternoon and that the mayor faces up a $500 fine and a year in jail for his actions which have attracted international attention and brought the fight over gay marriages squarely into New York.

The actions come as West is planning to hold more ceremonies this weekend and with other officials around the state considering similar actions. It also coincides with increasing pressure on State Attorney General Eliot Spitzer, who last week refused a call by the governor to prevent and nullify the marriages, to step in and issue some clarifying words on the complex legal issues at play.

[livius]

This is impressive! Of course, the NY State Supreme Court will probably have to come along and write a law about this permitting it. Oh, I forgot, it's not the duty of courts to make law...

[sport]

Good!

[csvset]

A little more info on the mayor is available here,

Greens win control of New York town council

[Lurking Libertarian]

And the gutless wonder just kissed the governor's mansion goodbye.

Actually, I don't think Spitzer could have prosecuted the Mayor-- in New York, jurisdiction over most crimes is with the local D.A., not the A.G., except for certain special types of cases (tax, securities, a few others) or unless the Governor specifically assigns the AG to the case.

[Coleus]

`

[Coleus]

New Paltz mayor charged with breaking state law
New Paltz mayor charged with violating New York's domestic
New Paltz Swamped With Gay Wedding Requests   
More Gay Couples Seek To Marry In New Paltz 

New Paltz Mayor Plans More Marriages Next Weekend
New Paltz Mayor Faces Criminal Charges For Marrying Gays 
New Paltz mayor charged with crimes for marrying gays 
New Paltz Mayor Plans More Gay Weddings 
       

Wedding Bells On Hold In New Paltz
West might face charges for marrying gays -
New York AG Says Gays Will Win Marriage War As new Paltz Mayor 

General News: New Paltz mayor waiting until weekend to perform
New Paltz school tax hike floated
Guttenberg couple joins rush to New Paltz
Jersey couple seize the day and marry 21 gay couples marry in New Paltz
Mayor vows to keep marrying same-sex couples
Another NY Town Joins Gay Marriage Battle
New Paltz mayor charged with breaking state law
From Ithaca, a New Challenge for New York State
Mayor Wedding Gay Couples Has History of Activism
New Paltz mayor charged
Ithaca Mayor Stands in Favor of Same-Sex Marriage
The Virus Is Spreading!
Gay Marriage Comes To New York
Peterson Announces Gay Marriage Policy
Ithaca to Accept Applications for Marriage
Ithaca Mayor Encourages Same Sex Marriages
Mayor taking license applications, follows lead of NY college
New Paltz Swamped With Gay Wedding Requests
Ithaca mayor supports same sex marriage
Same-sex couples marry in New York
More Gay Couples Seek To Marry In New Paltz
From Ithaca, a New Challenge for New York State
Mayor Wedding Gay Couples Has History of Activism

[dsc]

It's a good thing New York law still allows flogging, breaking on the rack, and burning at the stake. Otherwise this mayor could not be appropriately punished.

[Solamente]

Donald Williams for Gov!

[Coleus]

Some Good news, the athiests won't win this one.