BOSTON, April 16 (UPI) -- Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney wants special authority to seek a stay of the state Supreme Court's landmark ruling that legalized same-sex marriage.
Current law allows only the attorney general's office to appear before the high court on behalf of the state, and Attorney General Thomas Reilly has declined a Romney request to do so, the Boston Globe reported Friday.
Politically, the Republican governor's effort appeared designed to demonstrate one last time that he tried to block gays from marrying in the state, and to give him room to blame the Democrat-run Legislature for refusing to allow him even to ask the court to stay its ruling, the newspaper said.
Romney said his administration has been preparing for legalized gay marriage by scheduling training sessions for city and town clerks May 5-12, and by ordering new, gender-neutral marriage certificates.
Senate President Robert Travaglini immediately dismissed Romney's request as an attempt "to accommodate a political agenda," and said the state Senate has little inclination to undo a centuries-old state law to allow the governor to go around the attorney general and appeal directly to the court.
