Although the groups who had been fighting for us for years never said it specifically, I assumed that they felt the same way I did. I was happy that they were doing everything possible to stop the lawsuit in its tracks.

Zoom ahead to today and the growing suspicion that B&O might, just might, actually be on the level. If that’s really the case then I want the groups who know the most about the subject helping.

I realize that it looks to B&O like we’re jumping on the bandwagon. But it seems to me like they’re ignoring the reality we’ve lived with for centuries — straight lawyers have never had our best interests at heart. They are looked on as the enemy…for good reason. And it takes time for any straight lawyer with a good heart to overcome that perception.

Now they’ve got their back up and are willing to cut off their noses out of spite. They need to walk a mile in our shoes.

So B&O have hired political consultants to smear the three successful GLBT organizations.

Griffin is not a “hired political consultant” of Olson and Boies. He is the organizer and originator of the lawsuit and the head of AFER.

He is the one who originally contacted Ted Olson.

From the Washington Post:

In a letter to the legal groups sent Wednesday, board president Chad Griffin, a Los Angeles-based political consultant, said the show of solidarity was coming too late since the same groups originally criticized a federal civil rights claim as premature.

“You have unrelentingly and unequivocally acted to undermine this case even before it was filed. Considering this, it is inconceivable that you would zealously and effectively litigate this case if you were successful in intervening,” Griffin said. “Therefore, we will vigorously oppose any motion to intervene.”

Griffin’s behavior on behalf of B&O is territorial and childish — not at all constructive.

It now seems that Boies and Olsen are doing the same — rejecting the high-caliber experience and smart legal reasoning of the three groups. Faced with conservative federal courts, solid precedents must be established before the arguments made by Boies and Olsen will have sturdy foundation to stand upon.

That gives GLAD (not to be confused with GLAAD) somewhat short shrift. They have won a few court cases, including one called ‘Goodridge’ that some consider significant. Not to diminish the accomplishments of LL (for which I have great respect).

I’m not too concerned about the process as long as we get some passionate and effective advocacy.

Having said that: Every LGBT legal victory of any significance whatsoever has been at the hands of Lambda Legal. Every single one. To call them “part of the problem” is to display a total — TOTAL — ignorance of the issue and of history.

Meanwhile: intervention is a matter of right. You either have a legal right to intervene or you don’t. What the original parties may favor or oppose is totally irrelvent.

By the same token, a merit brief is known as an amicus curiae — “friend of the COURT.” It says nothing about being a “friend of the plaintiff.”