NEWS FLASH

Obama Administration Asks For Expedited DOMA Review | The Obama administration has asked the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco to expedite its review of the constitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act in the case of Karen Golinski — who was denied spousal health benefits by her employer, the U.S. Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco” — and “consider tough scrutiny for laws that discriminate based on sexual orientation.” In February, Bush-appointed Judge Jeffery White of the District Court for the Northern District of California ruled that DOMA violated the Constitution’s equal protection clause. The decision represented a serious setback for House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH), whose Bipartisan Legal Advisory Group (BLAG) defended DOMA after the Obama administration announced it would no longer defend the law. In the interim, the Obama administration’s Office of Personnel Management has moved to comply with the district court ruling by directing Golinkski’s insurance company to provide coverage for her wife. Metro Weekly’s Chris Geidner has more background on the government’s request.