For Immediate Release
August 11, 2004
Contact
Ellis Rubin and The Equality
Campaign File Historic Federal Lawsuit to
Recognize Canadian Marriage
Tampa, Florida - Attorney Ellis Rubin, Senior Legal
Counsel for The Equality Campaign,
DontAmend.Com, filed a second historic federal suit today on behalf of Rev. Phyllis E.
Hunt, Pastor of Metropolitan Community Church of Tampa, and her spouse, Vilia Corvision, who were married in Toronto, Canada in July. This is the second federal lawsuit Mr. Rubin has filed against the
1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). On July
20th, 2004, another lawsuit naming Attorney
General John Ashcroft and Hillsborough County Clerk Richard L. Ake, as a defendants was
filed, on behalf of Rev. Nancy
Wilson, Pastor of the Church of the Trinity, in Sarasota, and her spouse, Paula Schoenwether,
to have their
Massachusetts marriage legally recognized throughout the
country.
In the federal lawsuits, Mr. Rubin
is invoking the U.N. charters international-trade policy as a reason
for legalizing this marriage because
the U.N. charter which says
all people should be treated equally, thus all marriages
should be treated equally.
During a press conference in front of the Federal
Courthouse in Tampa, Mr. Rubin said, "Florida law and federal law separates and makes second-class citizens out of gays and
lesbians because of their gender and sexual orientation'' adding "I hope that the court recognizes that and says it
isn't equality if opposite sex couples can marry but same-sex couples cannot.''
Mr. Rubin has filed five other lawsuits on behalf
of same-sex couples after they were denied marriage licenses in
Broward, Hillsborough, Orange and Lee counties and is representing all the couples "pro
bono".
On Wednesday evening, Mr. Rubin and Robin
Tyler, Executive Director of DontAmend.Com, The Equality Campaign attended a wedding reception for Rev. Hunt and Vilia Corvision, at the Metropolitan Community
Church of Tampa. Rubin
and Tyler addressed the
congregation and friends of the couple. Mr. Rubin explained what he hoped
to accomplish by filing the
lawsuits and Ms. Tyler on "Why Florida" was selected to champion the cause
of marriage equality. They were interrupted constantly
by applause
and standing ovations by
the enthusiastic crowd.
Close Window to Return to
DontAmend Tampa Bay Website