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| Attorney General Mark Herring |
Asserting that Virginia had too often been on the “wrong side” of justice on civil rights matters, the state attorney general asked a federal court on Thursday to invalidate the state’s ban on same-sex marriage, calling the law unconstitutional and oppressive.
The move by the attorney general, Mark R. Herring, a Democrat who took office early this month, was the first indication of how consequential last November’s elections in Virginia, in which Democrats won all three top elected positions from Republicans, may turn out to be. Mr. Herring, a former state senator, narrowly defeated Mark Obenshain, a Republican state senator.
The decision to drop support for the gay marriage ban was an abrupt shift from the positions taken in the past by the state’s socially conservative elected officials, and put Virginia on a path to be the first Southern state to allow same-sex marriage. Republican officials swiftly denounced the decision, calling for Mr. Herring’s resignation.
At a news conference in Richmond, Mr. Herring said the ban violated the 14th Amendment right to due process and equal protection, an argument that has been the basis of successful legal challenges to same-sex marriage prohibitions in other states.
“I cannot and will not defend a law that violates Virginians’ fundamental constitutional rights,” Mr. Herring said. To do so, he said, “would be a violation of the law and my oath.”
Damn do I love stories like this!
Like I have said numerous times before, the Religious Right can fight it all they want, but the times they are a changing.
For all the proselytism, the Religious Right would do well to address the log in their eye instead of others' specks, whatever they conceive them to be.
ReplyDeleteYou GO, Attorney General Herring!
Once again evolution slaps the faces of religious people and they still don't understand why their face hurts.
ReplyDeleteI'm ready to set this guy's framed picture out in my home already.
ReplyDeleteHerring was sworn in on the 11th and didn't even wait two full weeks to put the power of his new office behind his pro-marriage equality stance. He couldn't be more of a bracing about-face after Cuccinelli. He's only 52, and if he wants to go for the governor's mansion after Terry's term, I'm all for it.
DeleteAs I told you guys in December, me and my partner of 37 years went up to LaPlata Maryland to get married on the 27th, and with Herring, Lieutenant Governor Ralph Northam, and Terry McAuliffe being of the same mind on this topic, I wouldn't bet against being legal here at home before the hot weather.
Congratulations on your marriage, dvlaries, wishing you much happiness and harmony!
DeleteNever fails. There is a lot of hot air here usually.
ReplyDeleteEqual rights or gay issues?
You get bupkis.
The people of Virginia did a most excellent job of dumping those crazy backyards.
ReplyDelete