Another update from Kenneth McGhie, general counsel for the Board of Elections and Ethics: "Still think it's going to be today," he says.

LL and the rest of the city are awaiting the board's decision whether to allow a referendum on recognizing other jurisdictions' same-sex marriages in the District.

The holdup? "Still debating some language," he says.

UPDATE, 4:36 P.M.: The board has released its ruling---the referendum is not allowed. Read more.

The next local election day might be some 15 months off, but Saturday's Capital Pride parade still had a political charge---mostly due to the recent heat on gay marriage, but also thanks to a mayoral campaign kicking into full gear and possible council challenger in the mix.

LL was there with camera. Behold!

Read More "LL’s 2009 Capital Pride Reviewing Stand" »

LL just got off the phone with Kenneth McGhie, general counsel for the D.C. Board of Elections and Ethics.

Those of you expecting a late-Friday announcement on whether or not a referendum will be allowed on the District law recognizing out-of-state same-sex marriages: Don't hold your breath.

"Doesn't look like it's going to be today," McGhie says.

Read More "No Gay-Marriage Referendum Decision Today" »

Bishop Harry Jackson, leading opponent of gay marriage in the District, entered the No-Spin Zone this evening.

Jackson was featured in a five-minute segment midway through the O'Reilly Factor, as proof, according to host Bill O'Reilly, of "the staggering hypocrisy of the left and media that enables the far left to do these things."

Some backstory: On June 5, Lou Chibbaro Jr. reported in the Washington Blade that Jackson had only recently registered to vote in the District and that he listed his residence as a one-bedroom apartment in the Whitman, a Mount Vernon Square condo building. That, of course, is germane because he is (a) a proponent of a referendum on a District law and (b) required to be a registered District voter to do so. Earlier this week, Chibbaro added to his report, reporting that virtually no one at the condo building had seen Jackson and that Jackson is maintaining his residences in Maryland.

On Wednesday, at a hearing before the Board of Elections and Ethics, Jackson took time to decry the disclosures, calling them a threat to him and his family and an attempt to intimidate him and other same-sex marriage opponents.

On O'Reilly, he continued his protestations.

Read More "Bishop Harry Jackson to Bill O’Reilly: ‘They Hacked Into My Records’" »

Attorney General Peter Nickles has concluded that a recently passed District law recognizing out-of-state gay marriages should not be subject to a referendum.

That, of course, isn't the final word on the matter by any means---the Board of Elections and Ethics is now in the process of deciding whether or not to allow the referendum. But Nickles' legal opinion, set forth in a five-page letter [PDF], could provide significant influence on a decision to reject a ballot question.

Read More "Nickles Says No Referendum Allowed on Gay Marriage Measure" »

The question before the Board of Elections and Ethics today is whether the law passed last month by the D.C. Council recognizing same-sex marriages performed out of state is the proper subject of a referendum. To wit, the main question is whether the bill is covered under the city's longstanding human-rights law, under which sexual orientation is a protected class.

But the debate here, in a packed second-floor hearing room at One Judiciary Square, has not stuck to those parameters.

Read More "Hundreds Watch Gay Marriage Referendum Hearing" »

Ward 5 Councilmember Harry Thomas Jr. has been walking a mighty fine line the past couple of weeks.

When you're representing a ward that contains both quickly gentrifying (and gayifying) areas like Bloomingdale, Eckington, and Brookland, in addition to the generally conservative Bungalow Belt and many of the city's most politically active churches, same-sex marriage would be one of those issues you might wish would go away.

Thomas veered heavily to one side of that line when he voted this month to recognize other states' same-sex marriages here in D.C. He leaned even further when the Washington Blade reported last Friday that Thomas was on the record in support of a full gay marriage bill—-a story LL had highlighted in his Friday news roundup.

Leaned too far, perhaps: That afternoon, Thomas spokesperson Victoria Leonard called LL to say the Blade story, by Lou Chibarro Jr., wasn't true. Her boss, she said, wasn't committed either way.

Read More "Behold Harry Thomas Jr.’s Nuanced Position on Same-Sex Marriage Legislation" »

Marion Barry expounded for reporters on gay marriage after today's council meeting. He minced no words on the potential reception to these developments in his ward.

"All hell's gonna break loose," he says. "We may have a civil war. The black community is so adamant against this."

He also explained that his failure to take the marriage measure off the consent calendar wasn't because he didn't know what he was voting on, but because he had been distracted. "I didn't know that [Vincent Gray] was moving that fast," he says.

Councilmembers David Catania, Jim Graham, and Jack Evans all voted not to reconsider the consent agenda vote. Barry said next time they want to reconsider a measure, he'll be voting no. "What's good for the goose is good for the gander," he said.

Barry had strong words for those who protested after the vote. "That kind of conduct sets it all back," he says.

He went on to describe how he believes that the vast majority of his constituency is opposed to gay marriage. "Leadership can rise above that and should rise above that," he said, but not on this issue. LL asked him why he not pursue a Nixon-to-China strategy on the issue, as possibly the only politician in his ward with the credibility to do so. Said Barry, "I don't want to be Nixon. I'm not doing this politically."

As for his receptiveness to future overtures on the issue, he says, "I'm always open to growth and development. That's what democracy is for."

My AOL mail homepage today features hater-for-hire Miss California and a teaser about "Leaked Photos," so of course I read.

Turns out some mildly tawdry shots of Carrie Prejean from her modeling career have hit the web. Nothing with animals or appliances yet, though the photos reveal her blonde hair's fake, too. (Messing with God's work quite a bit, eh, Carrie?)

But then I also hit a link on the page for associated "Racy Photo Scandals" -- I plead the Pete Townshend defense: "Research" -- and was directed to a montage that featured Prejean, Miley Cyrus, Vanessa Hudgens....and Chris Cooley!

Read More "Miss California, Miley Cyrus, and Chris Cooley…" »

Immediately after the D.C. Council's 12-1 vote to recognize same-sex marriage in other states, a small group of ministers and church congregants raised a ruckus in the hallway outside the fifth-floor council chamber at the John A. Wilson Building.

Perhaps the most livid was a well-dressed gentleman who identified himself as Paul Trantham, a member of Allen Chapel AME Church in Ward 8. "You are destroying our youth!" he cried to dozen gathered outside. "An abomination to God!"

Rev. Charlie Smith of the Missionary Baptist Conference urged electoral retribution: "Catania first!" he shouted.

Same goes for the Rev. Anthony Evans of Mount Zion Baptist Church in Ward 5. "They just kissed themselves goodbye," he said of councilmembers. "Harry Thomas is gone."

Same-sex supporters were outside as well; they were, needless to say, in a better mood. Says activist Peter Rosenstein, "I think it was an amazing day for the D.C. Council." In response to the ministerial demonstrations, he said, "I think people need to recognize there's a separation of church and state."

Also in attendance was former Department of Parks and Recreation Director Clark Ray, who said, "I just think it's a great day for the residents of the District of Columbia."

Completely without ceremony or debate, the D.C. Council has just made its final vote to recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states. Actually, the council did not vote specifically on the legislation, but rather voted it through as part of the "consent agenda"---a package of typically uncontroversial bills passed together without objection.

Any member can take a bill of the consent agenda, but Ward 8 Councilmember Marion Barry, who told a crowd last week he'd oppose the bill, declined to do so.

This may not be over---Barry may not have realized what he was voting on, and could move a reconsideration.

UPDATE, 11:15 A.M.: OK, Barry just realized his mistake. He has moved reconsideration. Roll call vote passes 10-3, with Catania, Graham, and Evans opposing.

UPDATE, 11:22 A.M.: Debate has begun. Barry has begun speaking on the gay marriage measure, "It's been a very agonizing and difficult kind of decision. In America, we have a democracy...it is one of the better democracies in the world, which allows people to disagree on the issues....I represent the 70,000 residents of Ward 8. I represent a lot of other people citywide because of my long service as mayor....I initially said i would be supportive [of gay marriage]...and my phone lit up, people talked to me in the street about. And I prayed." Barry went on to speak about his long civil rights record, including opposing the firing of a gay teacher. "The ministers and preachers of this town ...have a responsibility to stand on the moral compass of God whereever they go, and they do....I feel comfortable with this position because I know where my heart is....I'm representing my constituencies." He explained that his signature appeared on the original amendment due to a staff error when he was in the hospital: "It'll never happen again, or they'll be at 64 P Street, which is the unemployment office....I don't want this to be a litmus test. Look at the whole picture. Look at my whole history. In a democracy, you ought to be able to disagree without being put to a test....Look where i was on gay pride day. I started that!...I said I'm a moral person, but I'm not a pastor or a preacher." He closed by pointing out that he was a member of the Temple of Praise church in Ward 8. He pointed out that his own preacher, Bishop Glen Staples, opposes the bill.

UPDATE, 11:40 A.M.: Phil Mendelson, sponsor of the amendment, and now David Catania have spoken in support. "It is somewhat personal," Catania says. "I think it immoral for you to be my friend on one hand and on the other say you are not entitled to the same rights and obligations that I am." "The District has been a place where we've long tried to live under our motto, 'Justice for All'...I will not stop until I have that for every single resident of this city." Retorted Barry, "I resent that implication, that because you're not over here on this particular issue, that you're not being treated equally. That's not fair at all." That earned him applause from a portion of the council chamber. Catania comes back: "I want to be clear...Your position is bigoted, I don't think that you are."

UPDATE, 11:45 P.M.: Tommy Wells speaks up for Barry's civil rights record and the record of churches in delivering needed services, but he says he's foursquare behind the marriage measure: "This is not a political issue for me. This is a moral issue." And here comes Jim Graham, against starting out with kind words for Barry's history before noting, "We part ways today on this issue."

UPDATE, 11:50 P.M.: Graham, who is gay, drops the little known fact that he was once married. "Legally married, to a woman I love to this day. But, for obvious reasons, that didn't work out," he said, to chuckles in the chamber. He closed: "There is not enough love in this world today."

UPDATE, 11:55 P.M.: Yvette Alexander has strong words for the ecclesiastical community: "They have questioned my Christianity. They have question my morality....Let me just say this is an issue of fairness....I do know one thing, that everyone is equal under God." Alexander also alluded to some political pressure she's been feeling: "For those of you threatening to run a 'Christian candidate' against me in the next election, you should know: I'm a Christian candidate, too."

UPDATE 12:00 P.M.: The bill passes, for real this time---12-1, with Barry dissenting.

Freedom Plaza briefly found itself this morning at the center of the culture wars, when about 150 folks gathered to protest the D.C. Council's recent vote to recognize same-sex marriages in other states.

Bishop Harry Jackson, a D.C.-resident minister who leads a Bowie, Md.-based flock, assembled the group with the help of the Family Research Council, whose president Tony Perkins appeared today with a group of ministers on the stone expanse across from the John A. Wilson Building.

Protesters carried a variety of neatly made signs bearing such epigrams as, "If We Change Marriage, What Will Be Next?"; "Say No 2 Same-Sex Marriage in D.C."; "Kids Deserve a Mom and a Dad"; and "Think About the Children."

Jackson read a message from evangelical firebrand James Dobson, who urged followers in his statement to "create a Defense of Marriage Act for the District of Columbia."

Cindy Jacobs, "a respected prophet" and frequent 700 Club guest from the Dallas area, took the microphone to tie the day's rally to a debate on hate crimes currently taking place on Capitol Hill. The protest is a civil-right issue, she said, claiming that the federal legislation threatened the ability to oppose gay marriage. She went on to namecheck Martin Luther King's Letter from a Birmingham Jail. "We're not going to give Satan any rest," she cried. "We're not going to give city councils any rest. We're not going to give legislatures any rest."

LL spoke to ten individuals after the 90-minute rally ended. None were current residents of the District of Columbia.

Read More "Anti-Gay Marriage Rally Light on District Residents" »

So the D.C. Council has voted to (kinda-sorta) allow same-sex marriage. What now?

Assuming the bill becomes law, plenty of observers see two fronts of possible conflict. First is that the law will set off a frenzy of congressional intervention. To wit, American Prospect's Ezra Klein.

Nope, Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton says to LL this afternoon: "I anticipate being able to be able to protect it....In order to do something someone is going to have to introduce a bill or otherwise get something through the Congress. Well, you gotta pass by me on that....I believe I can prevent any bill from moving to the House floor to overturn the bill that was passed yesterday."

What Klein doesn't quite get right is that Congress need not actively "approve" D.C.'s decision. If lawmakers do nothing about the bill for 30 days, it's law.

Read More "Norton: I Can Protect Same-Sex Marriage Bill" »

*PRETTY SOON THEY MIGHT START REPRODUCING: After victories in Iowa and Vermont, "[gay] momentum...could spill into other states," the New York Times speculates.  Closer to home, the D.C. Council voted resoundingly to recognize same-sex marriages from other states.  Jason Cherkis has some comments on that, as well as some intriguing internal polling, here.

Read More "Our Morning Roundup: Gay Momentum & Stagnetti’s Revenge" »

Washington Blade's Lou Chibbaro Jr. is reporting this afternoon on an e-mail circulated among pro-gay clergy that claims At-Large Councilmember David A. Catania has committed to introducing a gay marriage bill at the April 7 council meeting.

A Catania aide says in the Blade story that no date is certain, but LL can say with certainty that same-sex marriage efforts are humming right along. Last Thursday, Catania hosted in his office a meeting of about 10 activists with local and national ties to discuss the status and strategy of gay marriage in the District.

At the meeting, multiple sources say, Catania gave no date certain for his bill, but he said his patience would not be infinite. "He basically said, 'I'm very into doing it. I don't want to wait forever, and I will give you notice when I do do it,'" said one person who attended the meeting.

Read More "Same-Sex Marriage Bill in April?" »