New Virginia Attorney General Drops Defense of Gay Marriage Ban - NYT

[WillyT]

New Virginia Attorney General Drops Defense of Gay Marriage Ban
By TIMOTHY WILLIAMS -NYT
JAN. 23, 2014

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The attorney general of Virginia has concluded that the state’s ban on same-sex marriage is unconstitutional and has joined the suit that challenged the law in federal court, a spokesman for the office said Thursday.

Michael Kelly, a spokesman for Attorney General Mark R. Herring, said that instead of defending the ban, “the Commonwealth will side with the plaintiffs in seeking to have the ban declared unconstitutional.”

The decision by Mr. Herring, who took office as attorney general this month, follows recent rulings by federal court judges in Utah and Oklahoma that have struck down laws forbidding same-sex marriage in those states. The move is an abrupt shift from previous positions taken by Virginia’s socially conservative elected officials.

On Thursday, the attorney general filed a brief in federal court in Norfolk — where a lawsuit challenging the ban is being heard — to notify the court of the state’s change in position.

“After thorough legal review, I have now concluded that Virginia’s ban on marriage between same sex couples violates the Fourteenth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution on two grounds: marriage is a fundamental right being denied to some Virginians, and the ban unlawfully discriminates on the basis of both sexual orientation and gender,” Mr. Herring told reporters at a news conference.

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More: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/24/us/new-virginia-attorney-general-drops-defense-of-gay-marriage-ban.html

[yeoman6987]

1. Well that is good

Good news Virginia!

[Raine1967]

2. I'm very proud that I cast a vote for this man as AG.

I see really good things for this Commonwealth!


to AG Herring!

[WillyT]

3. Thank You For That !!!

[Raine1967]

9. Happy to cast those votes.

here is my State Senator: http://www.adamebbin.com

(love him!!)

For more info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Ebbin

and here is my state delegate: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adam_Ebbin

We are going to turn Virginia around.

[etherealtruth]

4. I heard him on NPR this morning

He has a terrific sense of right and wrong and a very strong moral base (ie he believes all human beings are entitled to equal rights on the basis of their humanity)

[Cali_Democrat]

5. You see folks? Elections matter and both parties aren't the same.

GOTV 2014!!!

[Raine1967]

7. AMEN!!!!

As I said above, I think we will see good things coming from Virginia in the next few years.

This is just a start.

ELECTIONS MATTER!!!

[theHandpuppet]

6. Days are looking brighter for the Commonwealth

Congrats to all the Virginia Dems who worked to make this happen!

[msanthrope]

8. That was fast!!! nt