Gould Quits Over Gay Marriage
Commission
By GARRY RAYNO
Union Leader Staff CONCORD — A disagreement over who should represent the governor's
office on a commission studying same-sex marriages and civil unions was
resolved yesterday with the resignation of Concord attorney Bryan Gould,
who had been appointed by former Gov. Craig Benson. Gov. John Lynch appointed former Rep. Raymond Buckley to represent his
office, but commission chairman Rep. Tony Soltani, R-Epsom, refused to
accept Buckley and maintained Gould should continue to sit. Earlier this week, Buckley hired an attorney after Soltani barred him
from participating in a commission meeting Monday. It was the second
meeting in which Buckley was barred. Gould's resignation is effective immediately. In his resignation letter to Soltani, Gould writes, "Unfortunately,
Gov. Lynch's effort to replace me with an avowed proponent of same-sex
marriage has become a distraction from the commission's important work.
While I deeply appreciate your principled opposition to the governor's
attempt to alter the balance of the commission, I think is in the best
interest of the commission and the state to end the controversy over
the gubernatorial appointment." Lynch's spokesman, Pam Walsh, said Gould's resignation was not necessary
according to law because once Lynch made his appointment to the commission,
Gould was no longer a member. "If this ends that controversy, then
the resignation is good news," she said. Soltani said the resignation puts the issue to rest, and Buckley is
now a member of the commission and will be treated as a member. Buckley had not seen the resignation letter last evening but said he
looks forward to reading it. He said he would talk to his lawyer about
his next step. "If it's true, I'm pleased Mr. Soltani has seen the light," Buckley
said. Soltani called Gould's resignation regrettable, but in the best interest
of the state and the commission, which can now go on with its mission. "Bryan Gould is probably one of the top 10 lawyers in the state
and I'm sorry to see him step down," Soltani said. There is a radical element in the community, he said, that is more interested
in name-calling and obstructing what the commission is trying to accomplish,
he said. There is a group within the gay community and the non-gay community
that is willing to explore the statutory changes associated with gay
marriage and civil unions, Soltani said, that hopefully will continue
to work on finishing the commission's mission. The commission was created as part of a law passed a year ago prohibiting
the state from recognizing of out-of-state, same-sex marriages. The commission
was to study all the state laws that would need to change if same-sex
marriage or civil unions were allowed. The commission's next meeting is at noon May 9 in Room 208 of the Legislative
Office Building. http://www.unionleader.com/articles_showa.html?article=53992
TAKE ACTION!
Contact your Representatives (especially if they
are members of the commission), and tell them that it is vital that this commission
is fair,
balanced, and open to all members of the community. Your Representatives
and the members of this commission need to hear your stories and meet
our families if we are ever going to achieve marriage for same sex
couples in New Hampshire.
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