FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE JUNE 16, 2010

CONTACT: Elizabeth Ray or Mary Beth Hutchins at 703-683-5004

NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MARRIAGE ATTENDS CLOSING ARGUMENT IN CALIFORNIA MARRIAGE CASE

(Washington, D.C.) – The National Organization for Marriage (NOM) today announced that NOM’s Chairman, Maggie Gallagher, will be attending the closing arguments in Perry v. Schwarzenegger, the case challenging the constitutionality of Proposition 8, and will provide supporters with live commentary via Twitter (@NOMtweets). Following arguments, NOM’s president, Brian Brown, will provide an online video conference with supporters.

“The Perry case is very likely to decide the future of marriage in America,” said Gallagher. “We want supporters of marriage all across the country to have a clear understanding of the threat this federal judge poses to the very survival of marriage in America.”

The Perry case challenges under federal constitutional grounds the validity of California’s Proposition 8, which limits marriage to one man and one woman. NOM was the largest contributor to qualifying Prop 8 to the ballot and is helping raise funds to defend its constitutionality. If California’s traditional definition of marriage is stricken by the federal court, the survival of marriage in 45 other states will also be in jeopardy. The case is being heard in the San Francisco federal courtroom of Judge Vaughn Walker. According to news reports in the San Francisco Chronicle and elsewhere, Walker is himself gay.

“It’s important for supporters of marriage all across the country to be clued in to the developments in this crucial case in San Francisco,” said Brown. “Given the circumstances, we don’t have a lot of faith that this judge will uphold marriage, but this is a case that will ultimately be decided by the U.S. Supreme Court. By being present for closing arguments and providing commentary immediately afterwards, we can begin to educate and mobilize the millions of Americans who support marriage to engage in the fight to come.”

To schedule an interview with Brian Brown, President, or Maggie Gallagher, Chairman, of the National Organization for Marriage, please contact Mary Beth Hutchins, mhutchins@crcpublicrelations.com, (x105), or Elizabeth Ray, eray@crcpublicrelations.com, (x130) at 703-683-5004.

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