Gov. Romney and Cardinal O’Malley Threaten Legal Recourse If Legislature Does Not Vote on Marriage Amendment
        In a press conference with Cardinal O'Malley and other religious leaders, Gov. Romney renewed calls for legislators to follow the constitution and allow a  ballot vote on an amendment defining marriage as between one man and one woman.
         If the legislature refuses to vote on the amendment, Romney said, "We'd have to consider legal recourse of some kind."
        This was an apparent reference to 2002, when key Democrats in the legislature realized that a similar amendment was going to pass and they illegally voted to adjourn the Constitutional Convention without voting on the measure, despite the fact that the measure had received more than enough certified signatures to appear on the ballot. 
        The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court ruled unanimously that the legislature’s maneuver was “illegal”, but the politicians refused to follow the court ruling and the amendment subsequently died. 
        Gay Rights advocates have implied that they may attempt the same maneuver to kill the amendment this time, just like in 2002. 
         "I'd like to see it ended in any way possible … There are a lot of different ways to defeat constitutional amendments," said Marc Solomon, campaign director of MassEquality.
        "It will not be a vote for or against same-sex marriage. No, it will be a vote for or against democracy," Romney said. Many observers have also noted that this would be a vote against the corrupt practices such as happened in 2002. 

First Time Cardinal O’Malley has Spoken Out on Gay Marriage
        Cardinal  O'Malley, who had been silent on the issue before, said in support "This is neither a Catholic nor a sectarian issue. It is a human issue. So much polarization has been precipitated by the Supreme Judicial Court which by one vote has threatened the oldest and most foundational of human institutions. We urge that the Legislature let everyone's voice be heard. Let the people vote."
        The Legislature is scheduled to resume their Constitutional Convention on July 12, with the ballot initiative sponsored by the Massachusetts Family Institute and Vote On Marriage being the most controversial items on the docket.  Roughly 170,000 people last fall signed an initiative petition that would define marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
        The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court had a tie 3-3 vote in 2003 in the ruling that created gay marriage.  Chief Justice Margaret Marshall broke the tie and wrote the illegal opinion that mandated gay marriage.