Administration Supports Lesbian Employee's Case

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — The Obama administration has come out in support of a lesbian federal employee's lawsuit claiming the government wrongly denied health coverage to her same-sex spouse.

The Justice Department said in a brief filed in federal court in San Francisco on Friday that Karen Golinski's suit should not be dismissed because the law under which her spouse was denied benefits — the Defense of Marriage Act — is unconstitutional.

According to the Justice Department, the marriage act was motivated substantially by "animus" toward gays and lesbians and their intimate relationships and violates the constitution's guarantee of equal protection.

Golinski is a 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals lawyer. She sued the U.S. Office of Personnel Management last year for not authorizing family health coverage for her wife.