New York Judge Allows Anti-Gay Marriage Lawsuit

A state judge is allowing a conservative group in New York to proceed with a lawsuit to overturn New York's new law legalizing gay marriage.

New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms, a conservative religious group, claim that it was unconstitutional for Cuomo and Republican State Senators to have secret meetings regarding the new law. The group claims that this is in direct violation of the state's Open Meetings Law, which requires most meetings involving elected officials to be open to the public, according to Reuters.

Clear arm-twisting by (Cuomo) on the legislature permeates this entire process, wrote Livingston County State Supreme Court Judge Robert Wiggins in a November 18 decision, allowing them to proceed with their case. However, Wiggins was careful not express his opinion on gay marriage, while ruling on the procedures about the legislature.

It is ironic that much of the state's brief passionately spews sanctimonious verbiage on the separation of powers in the governmental branches, and clear arm-twisting by the Executive on the Legislative permeates this entire process, Wiggins wrote according to the Daily News.

Back in June when the gay marriage legislation passed, Cuomo was criticized for ordering limits on debates to the bill. Wiggins criticized Cuomo and dismissed the state's argument for avoiding a requirement that proposed legislation remains in print for three days before the State Legislature votes.