Tag Archives: ADF: Austin R. Nimocks

OneNewsNow: “Attorney Austin R. Nimocks, Jr., with the Alliance Defense Fund, argued before the Court of Appeals on Tuesday. ‘The charter of the District of Columbia, like the constitution of a state, is a preeminent document,’ he explains. ‘And the charter of DC says citizens…have the right to vote on any topic other than budget matters.’” | ADF News Release | Oral Argument Audio

WJZ (AP): “The city’s law on ballot initiatives specifically prohibits bringing measures that would violate the Human Rights Act. However, attorney Austin R. Nimocks of the the Alliance Defense Fund, which represents Jackson and other gay marriage opponents, said that limitation goes against the city’s charter . . . ‘Whatever the council can do, the people can do, he told the judges.” | ADF News Release | Oral Argument Audio

The Blog of LegalTimes: “Arguing on behalf of the plaintiffs, Alliance Defense Fund attorney [Austin Nimocks] said applying the Human Rights Act restrictions on discrimination to the initiative process contradicts D.C.’s Charter Amendments Act. The latter statute amended the D.C. Home Rule Act in 1977 to create the initiative process.” | ADF News Release | Oral Arguments Audio

Prayer and Action: “An open lesbian, Demeo’s nomination was stalled longer than any other White House appointee because of her extreme support for same-sex ‘marriage.’ Why is that significant? Because today, Demeo sits on the very bench that will decide the fate of marriage in our nation’s capital: the D.C. Superior Court . . . The arguments kicked off this morning. In an unusual twist that reflected the importance of this case, all nine judges met to hear the suit. FRC’s Peter Sprigg was in the courtroom during the trial. Peter reports that [Austin Nimocks] of the Alliance Defense Fund was brilliant in his defense of the people’s right to vote–much stronger that the counsel for the District.” | Oral Arguments Audio

ADF attorney Austin R. Nimocks appeared on Fox 5 News to discuss the DC marriage battle. The MP4 video runs just under 2 minutes. | Austin also appeared on ABC News 7. The MP4 video runs 2:30 mins.

An Alliance Defense Fund attorney will be volunteering in his personal capacity to participate Thursday in a “prayer flight” over the greater District of Columbia and greater Richmond, Va., area to commemorate the National Day of Prayer.

ADF, Stand4MarriageDC appealed decision denying DC voters a say on definition of marriage

ADF attorney Austin R. Nimocks appears in this CBN News Video along with Tony Perkins of FRC and Regent Law Professor Bradley Jacob to discuss the threat that ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act), legislation pending in Congress, poses to religious freedom.

The MP4 Video runs just over 5 minutes.

CBN News: Attorney [Austin R. Nimocks] with the The Alliance Defense Fund, a conservative Christian non-profit organization, argues that Christian businesses . . . have every reason to be concerned. ‘A law that would require an organization to retain employees who don’t fulfill that organization’s mission is a dangerous law,’ he said. ‘It’s like requiring an environmental group to fill up its board with a bunch of lumberjacks or requiring a Democratic senator to hire a bunch of Republican staffers.’”

ADF attorney Austin R. Nimocks appeared on the Michael Medved Show to discuss the ongoing NJ marriage battle.

The MP3 runs approximately 34 minutes.

The Advocate (“gay advocacy website”): “Senators Anthony R. Bucco and Gerald Cardinale, with Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll, are being represented by Alliance Defense Fund, the Christian-based group that helped file the suit. ‘There’s more to marriage than just any two people in a committed relationship,’ ADF Senior Legal Council [Austin R. Nimocks], said. “At this time in history, we should be strengthening marriage, not tearing it down . . .’”

On Top Magazine (“gay advocacy website”): “Three Republican lawmakers filed a motion to intervene Monday to defend against a New Jersey lawsuit to win gay marriage. Senators Gerald Cardinale and Anthony R. Bucco, along with Assemblyman Michael Patrick Carroll, are being represented by the Christian-based group Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) . . . ‘There’s more to marriage than just any two people in a committed relationship,’ ADF Senior Legal Counsel [Austin R. Nimocks] said in a statement. ‘At this time in history, we should be strengthening marriage, not tearing it down. Instead, activists are seeking to redefine marriage for all New Jersey citizens by resurrecting an already-resolved, three-year-old lawsuit with the goal of forcing legislators to redefine marriage against their will.’”

New Jersey Newsroom: “Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund representing New Jersey legislators filed a motion to intervene Monday to defend against a recently filed motion in what seemed to be a long-ago-resolved lawsuit that seeks to force the Legislature to redefine marriage . . . ‘There’s more to marriage than just any two people in a committed relationship,’ said Alliance Defense Fund’s Senior Legal Counsel Austin R. Nimocks.”

Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund representing New Jersey legislators filed a motion to intervene Monday to defend against a recently filed motion in a long-ago-resolved lawsuit that seeks to force the Legislature to redefine marriage.

Catholic News Agency: “Opponents of a Washington, D.C. same-sex ‘marriage’ law are appealing a court order that denied a motion to prevent the law from going into effect . . . ‘The people have a right to have the final say on any law regarding marriage passed by the D.C. Council. The D.C. Charter makes that right clear, and officials should not be ignoring the right of the people to vote for or against the new definition of marriage fabricated by the council,’ said ADF Senior Legal Counsel Austin R. Nimocks.”

LifeSiteNews: “The Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals has upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit that sought a ‘divorce’ between two women who claimed to have obtained a marriage license in Canada . . . ‘The government cannot issue a divorce for a “marriage” it doesn’t recognize,’ said ADF Senior Legal Counsel Austin R. Nimocks. ‘The people of Oklahoma have made it clear that marriage in their state is only between one man and one woman. The court’s decision was not only the right decision, but it was truly the only decision the court could legitimately make under the circumstances.’”

The Church Report: “The Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals has upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit that sought a ‘divorce’ between two women who claimed to have obtained a marriage license in Canada . . . ‘The government cannot issue a divorce for a “marriage” it doesn’t recognize,’ said ADF Senior Legal Counsel Austin R. Nimocks. ‘The people of Oklahoma have made it clear that marriage in their state is only between one man and one woman. The court’s decision was not only the right decision, but it was truly the only decision the court could legitimately make under the circumstances.’”

The Oklahoma Court of Civil Appeals has upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit that sought a “divorce” between two women who claimed to have obtained a marriage license in Canada

Washington Times: “‘Gay people serving in the military, defending our country, should have the same rules and same opportunities as any other Americans, no more and no less,’ Evan Wolfson, executive director of Freedom to Marry, told The Washington Times . . . Austin R. Nimocks, a lawyer with the Alliance Defense Fund, said he thinks DOMA prevents the military from giving benefits to gay spouses . . . ‘It’s most likely under the current scenario that the military would follow DOMA because the marriage license held by a same-sex couple is a state-conferred right and not a federal-conferred right.’”

LezGetReal: “Austin R. Nimocks, a lawyer with the Alliance Defense Fund, told The Washington Times, ‘It’s most likely under the current scenario that the military would follow DOMA because the marriage license held by a same-sex couple is a state-conferred right and not a federal-conferred right. And so there is no requirement that the federal government acknowledge that state-conferred right in that regard. I think that federal DOMA would necessarily constrict the ability of the military to provide some sort of recognition to a marriage license held by a same-sex couple.’ . . . The top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee . . . asked Secretary Gates if he will recommend that Congress repeal DOMA . . . A spokesman for Gates declined to comment.”

CitizenLink: “The U.S. Supreme Court refused to intervene in the Washington, D.C., marriage battle . . . ‘The people have a right to have the final say on any law regarding marriage passed by the D.C. Council,’ said Austin R. Nimocks, senior legal counsel of the Alliance Defense Fund. ‘The D.C. Charter makes that right clear, and officials should not be ignoring the right of the people to vote for or against the new definition of marriage fabricated by the council.’”

OnTopMag (“gay advocacy website”): “A District of Columbia appeals court rejected a last-minute effort to stop a gay marriage law from taking effect as early as Wednesday . . . ‘The people have a right to have the final say on any law regarding marriage passed by the DC Council,’ Austin R. Nimocks, senior legal counsel for the Christian-based Alliance Defense Fund, which is representing opponents in the challenge, said in a statement announcing the appeal.”

Austin R. Nimocks serves as senior counsel with Alliance Defending Freedom at its Washington, D.C., Regional Service Center, where he heads the marriage litigation team. Before joining Alliance Defending Freedom in 2007, he spent nearly 10 years in private practice on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Nimocks earned his J.D. from the Baylor University School of Law in Waco, Texas. He is admitted to the bars of the District of Columbia, Texas, Mississippi, Alabama, Arizona, the U.S. Supreme Court, and the U.S Courts of Appeal for the D.C., 1st, 4th, 5th, and 9th Circuits, and he has also appeared before various federal and state courts around the country.

edge Boston: “Representatives from several anti-LGBT organizations gathered in Rhode Island on Saturday, Feb. 27, for a conference billed as the New England Family, Life and Marriage Summit . . . Austin Nimocks, senior legal counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund, made similar statements. He used the fact Catholic Charities in Boston and Washington, D.C., lost their government funding after they refused to allow same-sex couples to adopt children. ‘The state drove them out of the adoption business,’ Nimocks said. ‘This is a question of persecution.’”

Catholic News Agency: “Opponents of a Washington, D.C. same-sex “marriage” law are appealing a court order that denied a motion to prevent the law from going into effect . . . ‘The people have a right to have the final say on any law regarding marriage passed by the D.C. Council. The D.C. Charter makes that right clear, and officials should not be ignoring the right of the people to vote for or against the new definition of marriage fabricated by the council,’ said ADF Senior Legal Counsel Austin R. Nimocks.”

DC Headlines Examiner: “Stand4MarriageDC and the Alliance Defense Fund, two conservative groups active in the nation’s capital, lodged the appeal on Wednesday. Attorneys for the two organizations placed the appeal in the hopes of allowing the issue of same-sex marriage to be decided by a popular vote. ‘We are appealing because the District’s marriage redefinition law shouldn’t go into effect until voters have the opportunity to vote on a critical matter that affects everyone in the District,’ senior legal counsel Austin R. Nimocks said in a news release picked up by the Washington Post.”

Washington Post, D.C. Wire: “Attorneys for Stand4MarriageDC and the Alliance Defense Fund, a conservative legal organization, today appealed a court order that upheld a D.C. Board of Elections ruling against a referendum on the issue . . . ‘We are appealing because the District’s marriage redefinition law shouldn’t go into effect until voters have the opportunity to vote on a critical matter that affects everyone in the District,’ senior legal counsel Austin R. Nimocks said in a news release.”

CitizenLink: “A Washington, D.C., judge denied another request, on Friday, to allow voters to have a say in whether the District will recognize gay marriages . . . ‘A new definition of marriage should not be imposed upon the people of D.C. without their consent, and the majority of D.C. residents agree,’ Nimocks said. ‘The court should support the people’s right to vote on this referendum, which would allow them to partake in a legitimate democratic process to decide a critical matter that affects everyone in the district.’”

EDGE Boston: “An upcoming gathering of anti-gay organizations in the Ocean State continues to face opposition from local activists. The Family Research Council is sponsoring the New England Family, Life and Marriage Summit on Saturday, Feb. 27, at the Ocean State Baptist Church in Smithfield. According to FRC’s announcement, the daylong conference will feature “experts” from the National Organization for Marriage Rhode Island, the Alliance Defense Fund and Family Policy Councils from Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine and Connecticut.”

OneNewsNow: “Alliance Defense Fund attorney Austin R. Nimocks was there for the verdict. ‘The judge gave us a preliminary ruling which he will memorialize in writing, denying the relief that we were requesting, denying stopping the same-sex marriage legislation from going into effect until the citizens have had a right to vote,’ he summarizes.”

Washington Post: “A third Superior Court judge has denied a request by opponents of same-sex marriage to overturn D.C. Board of Elections rulings against a referendum on the issue . . . Holeman’s ruling will not be official until Monday, said Austin Nimocks, an attorney for the Alliance Defense Fund. Once it is, opponents plan to file an immediate appeal.”

Washington Post: “Another Superior Court judge has denied a request by same-sex marriage opponents to overturn a D.C. Board of Elections rulings against a referendum on the issue . . . Holeman’s ruling will not be official until Monday, said Austin Nimocks, an attorney for the Alliance Defense Fund. Once it is, opponents plan to file an immediate appeal.”

WorldNetDaily: “A team of top-drawer civil and religious rights lawyers is accusing President Obama of establishing a religion for the U.S. military through his demand to promote open homosexuality in the ranks . . . The letter was signed by Gary McCaleb, senior vice president and senior counsel; Jordan Lorence, senior vice president and senior counsel; Austin Nimocks, senior legal counsel; and Kevin Theriot; senior counsel . . . ‘Military chaplains who have volunteered to defend the liberties protected in our Constitution shouldn’t be denied those very same liberties,’ said Theriot. ‘Forcing chaplains to deny the teachings of their faith in order to serve in the armed forces is a grave threat to the First Amendment and to the spiritual health of Marines, soldiers, sailors, and airmen who depend on them.’”

ADF, Stand4MarriageDC appealing Board of Election’s decision to shut out voters

National Catholic Register: “‘The votes of Christians and other people of faith are without question on trial in California,’ said attorney Austin Nimocks of the Alliance Defense Fund, part of the ProtectMarriage.com legal team . . . Meanwhile, the district court trial ‘has wound down in some respects, but it’s not over,’ Nimocks said. ‘There’s still plenty of opportunity for legal fireworks in San Francisco.’”

Washington Times: “Jordan Lorence, senior legal counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), which helped defend Proposition 8, said factual testimony about the suffering caused by Proposition 8 may be compelling to a committee of elected legislators, or the voters, but it’s irrelevant in a federal legal proceeding — or at least it should be. ‘This trial reminded me more of a legislative hearing than a federal trial,’ said Mr. Lorence . . . Austin Nimocks, who blogged on behalf of the ADF during the trial, asked at one point, ‘[A]s I’m listening to all of the testimony, I keep asking myself this question: Why are we having this debate here?’”

CitizenLink: Austin Nimocks, senior legal counsel with the Alliance Defense Fund, said the defense feels comfortable and confident with the proceedings. ‘We’re not required to prove anything,’ he said. ‘It’s the plaintiffs’ burden to prove that the voices of over 7 million Californians that voted for Proposition 8 are somehow unconstitutional.’”

VOA News: “The question of whether marriage is a constitutional right weighs heavily in this debate. Supporters of gay marriage say that it is and that you can’t put people’s rights to a vote. But attorney Austin Nimocks of the Alliance Defense fund, the group defending Proposition 8, disagrees. ‘Well there’s no right to same-sex marriage in the United States Constitution,’ he said.”

Chuck Donovan writing at The Foundry (Heritage Foundation): “The phase of the case that ended last week included testimony from witnesses called in support of or opposition to Proposition 8. Attorneys from the Alliance Defense Fund, a public interest legal association that has played a key role in defending Prop 8, have posted updates on each day of the trial. The ‘Day 12′ update by ADF Senior Legal Counsel Austin R. Nimocks explains what will happen next in the case: ‘While the testimonial phase of the trial is finished, the proceedings in San Francisco are not yet complete. Judge [Vaughn] Walker plans to take about a month to review, on his own, the thousands of pages of documents and exhibits that were introduced into evidence during these last two weeks. Then, by Feb. 26, the parties will remit papers which seek to highlight the evidence that they believe support the proposed judgments that they remitted to the court before the trial began. After that, Judge Walker will seek to schedule a time for formal closing arguments.’”

Christian Examiner: “Andy Pugno, general counsel for ProtectMarriage, the sponsors of Proposition 8, called Segura’s testimony an ‘ugly turn as religion itself was put on trial.’ . . . The clashing of legal swords in San Francisco still has another couple of rounds to go,’ wrote Austin R. Nimocks, senior counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund in a blog. ‘I anticipate the closing arguments to be scheduled for sometime in March or April, after which time Judge Walker will take time to author and render his decision.’”

Sacramento Bee: “Austin Nimocks, a Proposition 8 attorney from the Alliance Defense Fund, which specializes in defense of religious rights, said Blankenhorn made the case that same-sex marriage could cause ‘further debasement’ of marriage as an institution. Gay marriage shouldn’t be allowed, Nimocks said, because ‘it intentionally deprives children of a father and a mother.’”

Baptist Press: “Each day during the trial Baptist Press has posted a blog entry from someone in the courtroom. Following is commentary on day 12 of the trial from Austin R. Nimocks, senior counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund, which supports Prop 8 . . . ‘As far as Wednesday’s testimony was concerned, the plaintiffs completed the cross-examination of marriage expert David Blankenhorn. Mr. Blankenhorn, a self-described liberal Democrat, presents a unique and challenging problem for the plaintiffs since he has historically been an advocate for people who engage in homosexual behavior — and that’s been true even in the courtroom these last couple of weeks.’”

ADF attorney Austin R. Nimocks appeared on the Michael Medved Show to discuss the conclusion of the Proposition 8 trial.

The MP3 runs approximately 34 minutes.

OneNewsNow: “Alliance Defense Fund attorney Austin Nimocks tells OneNewsNow both sides have rested and the court is now considering thousands of pages of testimony and evidence. ‘For a little over two weeks the plaintiffs made emotional appeals, presented irrelevant evidence, and pounded Proposition 8 with everything that they had — and we don’t feel like they made a dent at all,’ Nimocks accounts.”

Catholic News Agency: “Alliance Defense Fund (ADF) Senior Lead Counsel Austin R. Nimocks reported on the ADF website that one of the defense’s witnesses was David Blankenhorn, a liberal Democrat who has historically supported homosexual political causes including domestic partnerships. However, he believed marriage should be reserved to a union between man and woman. Blankenhorn’s opposition to overturning Prop. 8 threw ‘a huge wrench’ into the plaintiffs’ case, according to Nimocks.”

Austin R. Nimocks appeared on the Michael Medved Show to discuss the Perry v. Schwarzenegger trial.

The mp3 runs just over 34 minutes.

ADF Senior Legal Counsel Austin R. Nimocks writing at The Christian Post: “While the testimonial phase of the trial is finished, the proceedings in San Francisco are not yet complete. Judge Walker plans to take about a month to review, on his own, the thousands of pages of documents and exhibits that were introduced into evidence during these last two weeks. Then, by Feb. 26, the parties will remit papers which seek to highlight the evidence that they believe support the proposed judgments that they remitted to the court before the trial began. After that, Judge Walker will seek to schedule a time for formal closing arguments.”

Update from ADF Attorney Austin R. Nimocks: “The final day of trial ended at noon on Wednesday, making the presentation of evidence end precisely at the 2½ week mark. While the ProtectMarriage.com legal team has not yet formally rested its case in defense of the California marriage amendment and the voices of over 7 million Californians, as well as the voices of the tens of millions of Americans who have voted for marriage in their respective states, the presentation of testimonial evidence from witnesses to the district court is now complete.”

The Bay Area Reporter: “Austin Nimocks, a spokesman for the Yes on 8 legal team, said they were not concerned about Blankenhorn’s statements. ‘He made clear there is not equality between same-sex marriage and opposite-sex marriage,’ said Nimocks.”

Townhall (Baptist Press): “Following is commentary on day 11 of the trial from Austin R. Nimocks, senior counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund, which supports Prop 8: ‘Day 11, Tuesday, can be aptly described as an exercise in the pot calling the kettle black (or what’s good for the goose is somehow not good for the gander). The plaintiffs’ case, in some part, has hinged upon the premise that reasonable people reflect upon their viewpoints and sometimes change their opinions.’”

LifeSiteNews: “Lawyers defending the California constitution’s definition of marriage in federal court are wrapping up testimony today after weeks of wrangling over theories surrounding marriage, sexuality, procreation, and the law’s involvement in all three . . . the defense of Perry v. Schwarzenegger depended solely on the legal teams of Cooper & Kirk, the Alliance Defense Fund, and ProtectMarriage.com, as Schwarzenegger’s and Brown’s lawyers literally sat on the sidelines . . . ‘This entire trial has been little more than an attempt by activists advancing the homosexual legal agenda to use emotion and sympathy in order to convince the court that marriage is unconstitutional,’ stated ADF Senior Legal Counsel Austin R. Nimocks.”

ADF attorney Austin R. Nimocks appeared on the Jody Hice Show last week (Jan. 18th) to discuss the Proposition 8 trial.

The MP3 runs just under 19 minutes.

KCBS: “David Blankenhorn, the founder and president of the Institute for American Values, took the witness stand Tuesday afternoon in the federal same-sex marriage trial . . . Defense Attorney Austin Nimocks said Miller’s central point about gay political power withstood the five-hour legal assault. ‘I think Professor Miller did very well, given what he was called to testify about,’ Nimocks said.”

Anchorage Daily News (Sacramento Bee): “David Boies, an attorney for the plaintiffs, questioned Blankenhorn’s credentials and conclusions and noted that Blankenhorn had written in a book that ‘we would be more American’ if gays were permitted to wed and their children would be better off . . . Austin Nimocks, an attorney for Proposition 8 defenders, told reporters during a break in the proceedings that Blankenhorn’s remark was based on a hypothetical presumption that same-sex marriage and heterosexual marriage were equal. ‘He made it clear it was not,’ Nimocks said.”

Update from ADF Attorney Austin R. Nimocks: “The plaintiffs’ case, in some part, has hinged upon the premise that reasonable people reflect upon their viewpoints and sometimes change their opinions . . . We saw this theme today in the cross-examination of Professor Kenneth Miller, a Harvard lawyer and political science professor at Claremont McKenna College . . . In the end, Dr. Miller held his own quite well, and the plaintiffs were unable to undercut Dr. Miller’s powerful testimony that the advocates for marriage redefinition in the United States do not lack political power, but rather have many powerful political allies. And because Dr. Miller wouldn’t abandon his current convictions about the initiative process in America, the plaintiffs eventually ended their questioning of him.”

“‘In their eyes, the problem is religion,’ Nimocks said, ‘and if people of faith would just quit being involved in the political process and not go to the ballot box, the universe would be OK as far as they’re concerned.’”

Baptist Press: “Each day during the trial Baptist Press will post a blog entry from someone in the courtroom. Following is commentary on day 10 of the trial from Austin R. Nimocks, senior counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund, which supports Prop 8: ‘As we moved into the third week of the trial, there was a sense that the winds were about to shift and, shortly before noon on the 10th day, the winds did change. After two weeks of emotional appeals, persecution of religious beliefs, and experts who were unraveled by the cross-examinations of the ProtectMarriage.com legal team, the plaintiffs moved to what I would call a “document dump.”‘”

Update from ADF Attorney Austin R. Nimocks: “As we moved into the third week of the trial, there was a sense that the winds were about to shift and, shortly before noon on the 10th day, the winds did change. After two weeks of emotional appeals, persecution of religious beliefs, and experts who were unraveled by the cross-examinations of the ProtectMarriage.com legal team, the plaintiffs moved to what I would call a ‘document dump.’ . . . Following their ‘document dump,’ the plaintiffs finally rested their case. Legally, this was a significant moment since they were now telling the court that they had submitted all of the evidence that they planned to submit to attempt to order the redefinition of marriage by judicial fiat.”

OneNewsNow: “The plaintiffs have rested their case in the trial to overturn the vote on California’s Proposition 8 . . . ‘Now we are calling witnesses and exceeding the evidentiary hurdle here on defending the right of Californians to define marriage for themselves on this very important question,’ states [Austin R. Nimocks].”

ADF Senior Legal Counsel Austin R. Nimocks writing in The Christian Post: “The testimony Friday all came in the form of a single witness: Dr. Gregory M. Herek, an expert in psychology from the University of California at Davis. He was called as the plaintiffs’ final witness in a futile effort to demonstrate that the concept of ‘sexual orientation’ is immutable and no different from race or sex. The plaintiffs made quick work of Dr. Herek, asking him questions for less than two hours, and in no way establishing what they sought to establish. In fact, through Dr. Herek, they established quite the opposite-that the idea of ‘sexual orientation’ has no clear or universal understanding or definition, but rather involves varying and fluid concepts of identity, desire, and behavior. In other words, ‘sexual orientation’ is, in no way, like a person’s race or sex.”

Baptist Press: Each day during the trial Baptist Press will post a blog entry from someone in the courtroom. Following is commentary on day eight of the trial from Austin R. Nimocks, senior counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund, who writes about the controversy about Tim but also about other portions of Thursday’s trial (ADF supports Prop 8) . . . ‘Before leaving the witness stand, Dr. Segura made an astounding statement. One of his opinions was that the “gay and lesbian community” possessed no “reliable allies” in the political world. This includes, in his opinion, President Obama, Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Rep. Barney Frank, and others whom he dismisses as not being true political allies of those who want to redefine marriage.’”

Christian Science Monitor: “Since the trial began Jan. 11 in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals, lawyers for the two couples have called to the stand psychologists and historians to try to show a pattern hostility that limits the political power of gay and lesbian Americans . . . ‘I don’t see how anyone can argue with a straight face that the homosexual community in California doesn’t have political power,’ says Austin Nimocks, senior legal counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund, which joined Protect Marriage.com in defending Proposition 8. What’s more, he says, ‘we don’t believe that personal behavior rises to the level of a protected class.’”

“This entire trial has been little more than an attempt by activists advancing the homosexual legal agenda to use emotion and sympathy in order to convince the court that marriage is unconstitutional . . . Before leaving the witness stand, Dr. Segura made an astounding statement. One of his opinions was that the “gay and lesbian community” possessed no ‘reliable allies’ in the political world . . . ”

ADF attorney Austin R. Nimocks appeared on the Hugh Hewitt Show to discuss Thursday’s proceedings in the Proposition 8 trial.

The MP3 runs just under 5 minutes.

Christian Post: “The assault on the people’s voice continued Wednesday. After addressing a couple of procedural matters, the plaintiffs called to the witness stand Mr. Ryan Kendall . . . Mr. Kendall was called to testify exclusively to disparage (a) Christianity, and (b) conversion therapy . . . The second witness of the day was Dr. Gary M. Segura, professor of American politics at Stanford. Dr. Segura, during direct examination, spent hours talking about the alleged lack of political power of the homosexual legal agenda in America.”

CitizenLink: “‘Dr. Segura was brought in to basically testify that the gay and lesbian community in California somehow lacks political power,’ he said, ‘even though they out-raised the Yes on 8 campaign. They raised $43 million for their campaign.’”

ADF Attorney Austin R. Nimocks appeared on the Hugh Hewitt Show to provide an update on the Proposition 8 trial.

The MP3 runs just under 6 minutes.

ADF attorney Austin R. Nimocks writing at The Christian Post: “Yet, as I’m listening to all of the testimony, I keep asking myself this question: why are we having this debate here? Moreover, should we even be having this debate at all? After all, California has had this debate twice already, with both instances ending in the voters deciding that marriage shall remain what it always has been: one man one woman. Thus, one could make a reasonable argument that this debate is old hat and unnecessary. However, even if it is appropriate to again have this debate, why here? Aren’t changes to social policy things that belong to the legislative process (which includes the initiative), or does it really belong to one judge?”

ADF attorney Austin R. Nimocks appeared on the Hugh Hewitt Show yesterday to provide this update on the Proposition 8 trial.

The MP3 runs 5 minutes.

Voice of America: “A lawsuit challenging California’s gay marriage ban could have far-reaching implications for the entire United States . . . Austin Nimocks is senior counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund, a group that is co-counsel in defending the state law. He says it is a matter of whether the will of the voters who approved Proposition 8 should be upheld. ‘The primary issue at stake here is whether in America we should respect and uphold the right of a free people to make social policy choices through the democratic process,’ said Austin Nimocks.”

WORLD Magazine: “According to Austin Nimocks, one of the Alliance Defense Fund attorneys working to defend Proposition 8, ‘Any loss for those who are defending marriage on this case will have national ripple effects regardless of the technical legal effect’ . . . Nimocks said that although the decision will have ripple effects for both sides, no matter how the case goes, the gay marriage issue will not go away: ‘No one case, no matter how big or important, will ever settle this issue.’ He notes that Roe v. Wade has not made the abortion issue disappear, despite the hopes of abortion supporters. ‘This case will not decide the issue regardless of how it comes down.’”

OneNewsNow: “‘We’re very happy about this order because the broadcast of this trial would threaten the integrity of federal court proceedings and unnecessarily expose marriage supporters to more of the kinds of threats and violence we saw during and after the Proposition 8 campaign,’ says Austin Nimocks, senior counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund.”

Crosswalk: “‘What’s at stake in this case is not only the definition of marriage in California but the potential that Americans will be forced to forfeit the core of our democracy by allowing a small group of wealthy activists to impose their will on a state – or an entire nation – through the courts,’ Austin R. Nimocks, senior legal counsel for Alliance Defense Fund, told The Christian Post”

ADF attorney Austin R. Nimocks appears in this CBN News video (just over 3 minutes) along with Brian Brown of the National Organization of Marriage to discuss efforts to air the Proposition 8 trial on TV.

Christian Post: “‘What’s at stake in this case is not only the definition of marriage in California but the potential that Americans will be forced to forfeit the core of our democracy by allowing a small group of wealthy activists to impose their will on a state – or an entire nation – through the courts,’ Austin R. Nimocks, senior legal counsel for Alliance Defense Fund, told The Christian Post.”