Gay Rights Lawyers: Obama Administration Rebuffed Us

The fallout from the DOJ brief in support of DOMA and less than friendly conduct of Obama administration officials continues to unfold and is increasingly a clusterf*ck for Obama and the DNC in terms of secure LGBT support - and more importantly money. The more information that leaks out, the worse it looks and more high profile LGBT political donors bail from attending the DNC fundraiser on June 25th. For example, two prominent gay rights lawyers litigating high-profile cases against the Obama administration have told the plumeline that their requests to meet with administration lawyers to discuss the cases were rebuffed It seems lies and disingenuous on the part of the Obama administration are reaping just rewards. Personally, I hope the boycott of the DNC fundraiser gathers steam and the event becomes a huge embarrassment. Here are highlights on the administration's treatment of LGBT rights lawyers:

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Two prominent gay rights lawyers litigating high-profile cases against the Obama administration tell me that their requests to meet with administration lawyers to discuss the cases were rebuffed — something that will further anger gay rights activists who feel badly stiff-armed by Obama on gay rights issues.

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In both cases, the lawyers are representing Federal employees whose spouses are being denied protections or benefits under the Defense of Marriage Act. The Obama administration, which is officially opposed to DOMA, is defending the act in court and claiming it precludes the granting of some benefits (like health care) to same-sex spouses of Federal employees — the topic of so much controversy this week surrounding a case in California.
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The refusal of meetings raises new questions about the Obama administration’s commitment to gay rights. Activists say the administration’s lawyers should want to meet to discuss such cases, in hopes that opposing lawyers find a way for the administration to legally grant benefits around DOMA, even as it defends the act in court.

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But Gary Buseck, the legal director for the gay rights group GLAD, tells me that he was rebuffed after asking Justice Department lawyers earlier this spring to discuss a big case he’s working on: A lawsuit in Boston on behalf of eight married couples and three surviving spouses who have been denied federal legal protections available to spouses under DOMA.

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Jennifer Pizer, the marriage project director for Lambda Legal, had a similar experience on another high-profile case, also in California. She’s representing a U.S. Court of Appeals lawyer who’s fighting the federal Office of Personnel Management. The OPM is refusing benefits to her spouse under DOMA — even though two Federal appeals court judges have said employees of their court are entitled to health benefits for same-sex partners.

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[T]hese lawyers think this is probably likely to change in the wake of the eruption of controversy over the California case. Nonetheless, it isn’t going to sit well with gay rights activists who are still wondering just how committed the Obama administration is to their cause.

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I can only wonder WTF the Obama administration when it left a Mormon Bush administration appointee in charge of the brief in support of DOMA last week. They might just as well have assigned the case to Matt Staver of Liberty Counsel - I doubt Staver would have produced a more insulting brief that what was in fact submitted.

Experienced Legal Services to the LGBT Community

Other bloggers from time to time hawk their products, so I figured I'd do a marketing post for the type of legal work that I can provide to members of the LGBT community who want an experienced, openly gay lawyer. Therefore, here's a run down of what types of work my practice includes. Anyone interested in legal services can e-mail me directly or via the firm website at http://www.hamarlaw.com/. Here's the summary of services:

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Commercial Real Estate: In the area of commercial real estate transactions, the firm handles:
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Corporate and Business Transactions: The firm has 30 years of experience in performing legal services for banking, commercial and corporate practice transactions, and has a recognized specialty practice in taxable and tax-exempt bond finance work. Among the areas where clients are provided experienced assistance are:
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Estate Planning and Non-Traditional Family Law: The likewise has experience in assisting clients in preparing estate planning and related documents. In light of Virginia's "Marriage Amendment," there are some basic documents and steps that every unmarried couple, same-sex couple or not, should have prepared and duly signed. These include, but are not limited to:
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· Advanced Medical Directive - § 54.1-2983 of the Virginia Code provides that any mentally competent adult may, at any time, make a written advance directive (i) authorizing the providing, withholding or withdrawal of life-prolonging procedures in the event such person should have a terminal condition, and (ii) appointing an agent to make health care decisions for the declarant under the circumstances stated in the advance directive if the declarant should be determined to be incapable of making an informed decision.
· General/Business Power of Attorney - This form of power of attorney allows a member of either an unmarried couple or a same-sex couple to authorize their partner to handle their financial affairs in the event of disability or unavailability.

Firm experience in providing legal services concerning unmarried and gay relationship issues, also includes:
· property co-ownership and/or co-tenancy agreements
· equity sharing agreements
· the formation of contract based domestic partnerships and dissolution of the same
· parenting agreements and powers of attorney concerning non-adoptive minor children.