City Hall, NY\u2014 City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today announced they will file a joint amicus brief in support of Edie Windsor\u2019s constitutional challenge to the Federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).<\/p>\n
Edie Windsor sued the federal government after being made to pay $363,000 in estate taxes on her late wife\u2019s estate because the government did not recognize Edie\u2019s marriage to her partner of over 40 years, Thea Spyer.<\/p>\n
Under the tax rules applied to heterosexual couples, spouses do not have to pay estate taxes.<\/p>\n
\u201cEdie Windsor\u2019s case is a tragic reminder of the work that still needs to be done to extend equality to all people,\u201d said Speaker Christine C. Quinn. \u201cAs Courts across the country continue to strike down DOMA\u2019s unconstitutional assault on our civil liberties, I\u2019m proud to join Mayor Bloomberg and the chorus of voices that have called to repeal DOMA once and for all.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe believe that DOMA is unconstitutional because it deprives married gay New Yorkers of equal protection of the laws, and we are filing a brief to support the case against it,\u201d said Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg.<\/p>\n
The friend-of-the-court papers will support Edie Winsdor\u2019s claim \u2013 and the holding by United States District Court \u2013 that the Federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOaMA) violates the Equal Protection Clause of the United States Constitution. <\/p>\n
##<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
City Hall, NY\u2014 City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn and Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today announced they will file a joint amicus brief in support of Edie Windsor\u2019s constitutional challenge to the Federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).<\/p>\n
Edie Windsor sued the federal government after being made to pay $363,000 in estate taxes on her late wife\u2019s estate because the government did not recognize Edie\u2019s marriage to her partner of over 40 years, Thea Spyer.<\/p>\n
…<\/p>\n