Thanks to a private clemency bill introduced by Senator Diane Feinstein, Shirley Tan will thankfully be able remain with her partner Jay Mercado and their twin sons, at least until the Senate decides if it wants to address the bill, which could take up to 21 months, or through the end of this Congress in 2010. This grants a much larger window of opportunity for the Uniting American Family Act (UAFA) to pass which would allow binational couples to sponsor their same-sex partners, and allow Tan to legally stay in this country.

From Tan’s attorney Melanie Nathan…

Today Senator Feinstein introduced a very rare private bill on behalf of Shirley Tan; Shirley will not have to leave the USA for now and hopefully never. The essence of its introduction is that Tan does not have to leave the USA on May 10th, in terms of the voluntary order issued by DHS. This enables her to stay in the USA, legally, until the private bill passes ( a rare occurrence)- and if it does not come up for a vote then she can stay for the duration of this Congress’s session, which has approximately a year and nine months left. However Shirleys ultimate saviour will be UAFA and nothing else!

…

A great big thanks from the Tan-Mercado family to Rep. Speier and her amazing staff as well as Sen. Feinstein and her staff, all of whom showed extraordinary care and diligence through the process. A special mention to the organizations that lent their support. Marriage Equality, Immigration Equality, Out4Immigration, Love Exiles and all the Media that remained so patient and supportive. Sen Boxer is sponsoring UAFA and we now hope that Sen. Feinstein will do the same as many many others are in as bad a predicament as Shirley Tan has been.

…

When I spoke to Jay today she was crying with joy and said the whole family including the boys were absolutely overwhelmed with emotion. The news was conveyed to her directly by Senator Feinstein’s office. It has been a long and arduous process and so a very special thank you goes to Attorney Phyllis Beech, San Francisco and Fresno. I will write more later – but now I have to call and tell everyone the good news.

More at Melanie Nathan’s blog.

9:15:00 AM: Live blogging will begin at 11am PST at San Francisco city hall of Tea Bag Protest.

10:36:19 AM: Enroute to SF civic center if this bum hamstring doesn’t get me first.

10:49:45 AM: No teabaggers on train. Odd.

10:55:24 AM: Looks like maybe 200 people.

11:00:36 AM: Older mostly white male crowd.

11:06:19 AM: Just said the pledge of allegiance. Are you kidding?

11:06:19 AM: Just said the pledge of allegiance. Are you kidding?

11:07:52 AM: Typical. Government source of ills. Marxist take over.

11:13:20 AM: Chanting “no you can’t.”

11:13:48 AM: Organizer not very well organized.

11:20:35 AM: Partying like it’s 1776.

11:20:55 AM: Booing gavin newsome

11:22:14 AM: Getting ready to march.

11:26:51 AM: Marching to Pelosi’s office

11:38:59 AM: Not a lot of tea.

11:40:23 AM: 350-400 protestors would be my guess.

11:41:41 AM: No one can hear the speaker. Much complaining. People want to “stir” things up.

11:42:24 AM: Again I ask where is the tea?

11:40:23 AM: 350-400 protestors would be my guess.

11:41:41 AM: No one can hear the speaker. Much complaining. People want to “stir” things up.

11:42:24 AM: Again I ask where is the tea?

11:48:00 AM: Just sang the star spangled banner. Looking for people of color.

11:48:45 AM: 1,2,3,4. That’s all I can see.

11:49:42 AM: Lots of singing… Intolerance masked by patriotism.

11:50:55 AM: Now the dumb chants. People starting to leave.

11:51:33 AM: McCain palin campaign person speaking.

11:52:34 AM: 14 year old speaking. Sad.

11:54:26 AM: Save the children!

11:55:05 AM: Speaker spreading the same tax lies.

11:57:43 AM: “US best country in the history of the world” lots of Reagan praise.

11:58:18 AM: Here comes the militant Ron Paul supporter.

11:59:40 AM: Disgusted German socialist now speaking. First generation American. Quoting aynn rand.

12:02:29 PM: Some people seem bored. Not militant enough. Lots of anti-pelosi sentiment.

12:02:29 PM: Some people seem bored. Not militant enough. Lots of anti-pelosi sentiment.

12:03:46 PM: Police state meme… Here we go.

12:05:30 PM: Here we go. It’s god.

12:10:54 PM: Here comes the anti-Obama tirade. Angry lady.

12:13:44 PM: Well. No new ideas . Sean Steele now speaking. “this is how revolutions start”

12:16:01 PM: “out with nancy” chants. okay I’m done. Signing off

12:23:33 PM: Final obsevation. Then will give my twitter friends a break. There was no counter protest. No opposing voices. Would have been interesting.

UPDATE: I have edited out part of my statement regarding the 14-year-old who spoke at the rally due to their age and not to cause any additional distress. Thus is the danger of twittering and trying to communicate gut reactions in a time-sensitive way. What does concern me is when young people are used as pawns to make political points. I am not saying that was the case here, but there is plenty of precedent for it.

8:46:47 AM: Illinois hate group releases anti-gay video attacking “Day of Silence” http://bit.ly/10mlUC

8:47:41 AM: Tea Party paranoia in Cleveland http://bit.ly/PFN8I

9:16:22 AM: Vatican to investigate US Catholic Sisters for not being “homophobic” enough http://tr.im/j3Bi

9:17:38 AM: NY Senator Diaz calls marriage equality an insult to people of faith http://tr.im/j3BI

11:47:07 AM: “Gathering Storm” a turning point in the demise of the anti-gay movement? http://tr.im/jb5N

12:50:27 PM: Catholic Archbishop approves of gays as priests… in the Philippines http://tr.im/jbg1

1:38:37 PM: Recs for #samsexsunday @tlrd @lezzymom @seasonsofpride @greghernandez @edgesanfran @bipolarturtle @pam_spaulding

2:02:43 PM: @mnrmg I love Dolly! Saw her in concert last year…

2:11:51 PM: @mnrmg hope her broadway show 9 to 5 does well.

10:35:17 PM: On no Miss California didn’t! http://tr.im/jcJJ

11:54:39 PM: Earth Day is about saving this pale blue dot we call home… http://tr.im/jujL

2:23:01 PM: Hate crimes bill passes House Judiciary, next stop House floor http://tr.im/jyhk

2:25:54 PM: For binational lesbian couple, deportation delayed indefinitely https://inlookout.com/2009/04/23/for-binational-lesbian-couple-deport …

11:26:09 AM: Just added myself to the http://wefollow.com twitter directory under: #gay #lgbt #blogger

4:30:25 PM: Al Gore rails against allegations of profiting from global warming crisis https://inlookout.com/?p=2574

4:31:07 PM: Live coverage of San Francisco Tea Party Protest 11am PST https://inlookout.com/?p=2319

4:34:26 PM: Sorry.. crazy blog plugin tweeting old posts… 🙁

5:32:43 PM: Obama at U.S. Holocaust Museum: “Intolerance, racism, homophobia… diminishes us all” https://inlookout.com/?p=2595

8:08:06 PM: Linguists discharged under DADT could have translated 9/11 warning https://inlookout.com/?p=2615

2:00:21 AM: New documentary OUTRAGE exposes hypocrisy of closeted politicians (trailer) http://tinyurl.com/cmlfve

2:06:25 PM: Bea Arthur passes away at 86 http://tr.im/jHTi

12:45:11 AM: Does 34 nails shot into the head qualify as a hate crime? You think?
http://tinyurl.com/cf8tsf

12:19:17 PM: Gay couples begin tying the knot in Iowa today
http://tinyurl.com/d8fdyp

2:25:18 PM: A pandemic by any other name? Swine Flu spreads quickly across globe. http://tr.im/jRbV

7:18:32 AM: Miss California’s the Rock Church links “pedophilia to gay lifestyle” http://tr.im/jUWQ

11:54:37 AM: michael savage

11:55:37 AM: typing the wrong thing in the wrong box. don’t you hate that?!

12:05:24 PM: gay marriage

1:10:59 PM: Maine’s gay marriage bill passes judiciary, moves on to the Senate | Inside, Looking Out #gay http://ow.ly/4hFJ

1:58:38 PM: Hate Crimes bill passes House of Representatives #gay #lgbt http://ow.ly/4rsN

5:10:37 PM: Closing the border with Mexico is such a dumbass question. Is she listening to Michael Savage?

5:18:27 PM: Obama reads articles… nice to have someone who reads too…

6:17:02 PM: Michelle Bachmann vs. Barney Frank on Hate Crimes legislation #FightHateNow #LGBT #GAY http://tr.im/k48G

7:45:38 PM: Rep. Virginia Foxx backtracks, but does not apologize for “hoax” remark #LGBT #GAY http://tr.im/k4mE

9:52:19 AM: Maine Senate votes for gay marriage #LGBT #GAY http://ow.ly/4yZm

2:04:42 PM: It’s official. Carrie Prejean is the new Anita Bryant. #LGBT #GAY http://ow.ly/4Bfc

3:16:07 PM: Congressman Boehner puts out slick hit piece on Obama http://ow.ly/4BQT

3:39:06 PM: Amazing new marriage equality video from Courage Campaign #GAY #LGBT http://ow.ly/4C2D

7:24:33 PM: Judy Shepard responds to Virginia Foxx’s comment on Rachel Maddow #GAY #LGBT http://ow.ly/4Dob

8:56:06 PM: is it me or is the twitterverse quiet tonight… is everyone watching Ugly Betty but me?

10:23:15 AM: NOM Executive Director Brian Brown gets frustrated defending new ad #GAY #LGBT http://ow.ly/4IFf

11:19:11 AM: Happy Friday! @davidbadash @jefframone @kmarysmith @2m4m @couragecampaign @imeq @out4immigration @lgbttweets @brappy #FollowFriday

3:40:42 PM: Virginia Foxx attempts apology number two for hoax comment… and fails #LGBT #GAY http://ow.ly/4Lhk

5:35:53 PM: Kentucky high school Principal refuses gay students access to restroom during class #GAY #LGBT http://ow.ly/4LWB

7:31:39 PM: Maggie Gallagher defends new NOM ad on Larry King tonight #GAY #LGBT http://ow.ly/4MAg

9:26:34 AM: Heading out to a Jackie Speier townhall here in SF.. Wish me luck that I get a question on UAFA in…

6:12:37 PM: Parody of NOM’s “No Offense” ad with Carrie Prejean goes for the JUGular! #GAY #LGBT http://ow.ly/4SrC

9:39:40 PM: CNN Reports on new film Outrage which outs closeted gay politicians #GAY #LGBT http://ow.ly/4Tf7

Inspiring words from Cleve Jones, friend of Harvey Milk and advisor to the film Milk, speaks prior to the Eve of Equality march in San Francisco on March 4, 2009.

Hearings start at 9am PST this morning and can be seen online at the websites below:

SFGTV
The California Channel
SFist
Yes on Equality

Video clips will be posted here later today.

Supporters of same sex marriage came out to San Francisco city hall yesterday on the 5 year anniversary of granting marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Organized by Marriage Equality, participants were given roses to to hand to the city clerk as a show of thanks for all the support provided by the city since the gay marriage debate began.