National news in brief: December 2

‘A-List: Dallas’ star Levi Crocker claims to have been attacked last week at an Oklahoma City gay bar. (Photo via Levi Crocker’s Twitter stream)

Second ‘A-List: Dallas’ star reports being attacked

OKLAHOMA CITY — After gay Republican fundraiser and ‘A-List: Dallas’ star Taylor Garret reported being targeted in two violent incidents in the past two months, co-star Levi Crocker tweeted after being himself attacked in a gay bar in Oklahoma City last week.

Crocker was apparently assaulted by gay men patronizing the bar who were unhappy with the show or with Crocker’s persona on the series. Crocker took the attack in stride, tweeting “Thank you for busting a bar stool on my head… I was a bit sleepy and need a little pick me up.”

Marine leader Amos: ‘Don’t Ask’ repeal working

WASHINGTON — Marine Corp Commandant Gen. James Amos told the Associated Press that his fears of chaos following repeal of the military’s ban on gay and lesbian open service were unfounded.

“I’m very pleased with how it has gone,” Amos said in an Associated Press interview. The general has held a dozen town hall style question and answer sessions on a tour through Afghanistan, and told the AP that issues pertaining to open gay service were not broached at any of the stops.

After an additional town hall on a battleship in the Gulf of Aden in which the subject was never brought up, a final stop at a base in Bahrain saw a single question about whether or not consequences for complaints about derogatory “homosexual remarks or actions” would be left up to local commanders. Amos confirmed the policy would remain in place.

Court challenge to N.Y. marriage law can continue

LIVINGSTON COUNTY, N.Y. — A county judge in New York has allowed a lawsuit challenging the state’s still-fresh same-sex marriage law to continue, according to Gay City News.

Conservative Christian group New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms is arguing that passage of the law violated the Open Meetings Law.

Lawyers for Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who signed the bill this summer, asked Judge Robert B. Wiggins to dismiss the case, but the judge is refusing to do so. Though Wiggins has thrown out several of the other claims by NYCF, the judge will allow the trial to go forward based on the Open Meetings Law provision.

The complaint stems from a meeting Cuomo had with Republican lawmakers regarding the marriage bill. NYCF claims the meeting does not meet a party caucus exemption to the Open Meetings Law.

N.J. lawmaker’s about face on marriage bill

MIDDLETOWN, N.J. — A New Jersey Republican who voted against a bill that would have legalized same-sex marriage in that state has now pledged to co-sponsor the legislation, according to New Jersey paper the Star-Ledger.

Jennifer Beck (R-Monmouth) “said she would vote to override if the governor vetoes,” said state Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union), who with Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen), is a main sponsor of the bill.

Lawmakers in the Garden State will likely have to overcome a veto by Gov. Chris Christie.

Gay softball world series group settles with three bisexual players

SEATTLE — After reinstating as members three bisexual players, and recognizing their San-Francisco team’s 2008 second-place finish, the North American Gay Amateur Athletic Alliance has reached a settlement over limits on straight players in the series.

According to OutSports.com, the organization has clarified its position on the full inclusion of bisexual and transgender players in the games, but will maintain its cap on straight players on a team, after their First Amendment right to do so was upheld in Federal Court earlier this year.