Media

So the Republican establishment is breathing easy now that the Supreme Court is on the verge of issuing a ruling in favor of same-sex marriage, thus taking the question out of nasty old politics? "I think it's probably going to be a relief," a Republican committeeman from California toldJeremy W. Peters and Jonathan Martin of The New York Times, explaining that with such a ruling, "then it's off the table." Praise the Lord and thank the court.

On Friday, the Supreme Court justices will be meeting to decide whether to hear a case — or multiple cases — challenging a ban on same-sex couples' marriages.

This will be the second time the justices have considered whether to take any of the cases out of Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and/or Tennessee. When they did so on Jan. 9, they took no action on those cases, instead re-listing them for discussion on Friday.

The Washington Blade has learned the State Department is considering phasing out domestic partner benefits for unmarried gay employees in the wake of the U.S. Supreme Court's 2013 ruling that struck down a portion of the Defense of Marriage Act.

Patrick Kennedy, under secretary for management at the State Department, told representatives of Gays and Lesbians in Foreign Affairs Agencies during a Dec. 22 meeting that the agency plans to move forward the proposed elimination of the Same-Sex Domestic Partner (SSDP) program.