Federal court rules that crimes-against-humanity trial can proceed against Scott Lively, former head of Oregon Citizens Alliance

Kari Chisholm

In 1992, the Oregon Citizens Alliance -- led by Scott Lively -- pushed Measure 9, which would have declared homosexuality a "perversion" and required Oregon schools to teach it as on par with pedophilia. Thankfully, it failed. But not after a major fight.

Today, Scott Lively lives in Massachusetts, where he ran a quixotic campaign for Governor in 2014 (winning 0.9% of the vote). He may not be influential in Oregon or Massachusetts, but he is the guy who helped fire up anti-gay animus in Uganda -- ultimately leading to its law that provides for a death penalty for homosexuality. a proposed law that would have created a death penalty for homosexuality, but was later reduced to only a life prison sentence. Sigh.

Last year, Lively was sued in federal court for crimes against humanity. Last week, a three-judge federal appeals panel ruled that his trial in federal district court could proceed, saying that his request to throw the case out did not show a need for "extraordinary relief."

By Kari Chisholm Dec. 11, 2014