NOM BLOG

Maggie's latest column: President Obama’s DOMA Outrage Will Backfire

By refusing to defend the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), by calling it “legally indefensible,” by inventing a new constitutional doctrine (i.e. that sexual orientation is a protected class) never accepted by the Supreme Court, by rejecting controlling Supreme Court precedent in Baker v. Nelson on marriage, by nakedly politicizing the Justice Department, by nationalizing the marriage question and forcing major GOP leaders and presidential candidates to act — President Obama is not only helping build up a national marriage movement, he has actually made it far more likely the Supreme Court will ultimately vote to uphold DOMA. [Continue reading]

Video: British High Court Rules Christian Couple May Not Foster Kids

Eunice Johns (with husband Owens), in her own words:

Here is the full story on the British high court decision which was handed down today.

Audio: Maggie Testifies in Maryland - "Why is Government in the Love Business?"

Here is Maggie Gallagher testifying against same-sex marriage at the Maryland State House Committee Hearing last Friday (02/25/11):

Since the hearing, rumors have begun to circulate that the SSM side may not have enough votes to pass their marriage redefinition bill in the Maryland House.

Bishop of RI says DOMA decision a "clear dereliction of duty"

Bishop Thomas Tobin of Providence, RI's official statement:

"President Obama's decision to stop defending the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) is a clear dereliction of duty and an obvious attempt to promote a politically-correct agenda in our nation. The President's incomprehensible and misguided decision should also serve as a call to action for citizens of Rhode Island who are currently confronting a similar attempt to impose same-sex marriage on our state. The Catholic Church in Rhode Island will redouble its efforts to protect and promote the traditional values of marriage and family that have been given to us by God and serve as the foundation of our culture."

Chuck Colson v. President Obama on DOMA

In the Christian Post:

[Attorney General Eric] Holder has embraced the position of Federal Judge Vaughn Walker in California that opposing so-called gay marriage can be “harmful to gays and lesbians.” But that’s like claiming that opposition to polygamy is harmful to polygamists or that laws defining marriage as the union of two people harm those who prefer to live in what are called sexual “triads” or “quadrads.” Our historic marriage laws harm nobody; they serve husbands, wives, children, and the common good of society.

Huckabee: Obama alienating blacks with gay marriage decision

Rawstory reports:

Fox News' Chris Wallace talked with Huckabee about the [DOMA] decision Sunday.

"You say that that could destroy the president," Wallace noted. "Isn't that over the top?"

"No," Huckabee replied. "He alieniated the African American community. Overwhelmingly, they support traditional marriages more than Hispanics and more than whites."

Manchester Union Leader on Obama and DOMA: "Shirker in Chief"

"It is more likely that Obama's long-professed opposition to same-sex marriage was a political deception. His behavior indicates that he was never committed to defending marriage. But he wants to run for reelection. So he's resolved that dilemma by punting the issue to the courts." (source)

Pittsburgh Tribune: On DOMA, Obama is "Defenseless"

The Pittsburgh Tribune is pro-gay marriage. But even they cannot tolerate Obama's dereliction of duty:

"...the Obama administration's decision to no longer defend the Defense of Marriage Act is, as a matter of law, defenseless." (source)

WSJ quotes Brian Brown on DOMA intervention

The Wall Street Journal: "Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage, which opposes same-sex marriage, said his group had already been meeting with members of Congress to ask them to intervene in the DOMA legal challenges."

Breaking: British court rules gay rights trump religious liberty

The UK Telegraph:

Eunice and Owen Johns, aged 62 and 65, from Oakwood, Derby, went to court after a social worker expressed concerns when they said they could not tell a child a "homosexual lifestyle" was acceptable.

But Lord Justice Munby and Mr Justice Beatson ruled that laws protecting people from discrimination because of their sexual orientation "should take precedence" over the right not to be discriminated against on religious grounds.

The Pentecostal Christian couple had applied to Derby City Council to be respite carers but withdrew their application, believing they would never be approved because of the social worker's attitude to their religious beliefs.

Today they asked judges to rule that their faith should not be a bar to them becoming carers, and the law should protect their Christian values.

Legal scholar discusses "Obama’s Unreasonable Abandonment of DOMA"

Noted scholar Gerard V. Bradley, Professor of Law at the University of Notre Dame Law School and a visiting fellow at the Hoover Institution, a think tank on the campus of Stanford University, writes that "President Obama has dropped the defense of marriage out of political convenience rather than reasonable opposition." [Continue reading]

Roundup: Presidential Hopefuls on Obama's DOMA Dereliction

We're reviewing the potential Presidential candidates in 2012 to see how they reacted to last week's DOMA development. If we missed anyone, please let us know in the comments!

Rick Santorum:

"President Obama's refusal to defend a law that was overwhelmingly supported on both sides of the aisle and signed into law by a president of his own party is an affront to the will of the people. This is yet another example of our president's effort to erode the very traditions that have made our country the greatest nation on earth."

Michelle Bachmann:

“I will continue to do everything in my power to fight back against Barack Obama’s attacks on marriage.” (source: The Washington Independent)

Newt Gingrich:

Gingrich slammed Obama for his decision, telling Newsmax that he is not a “one-person Supreme Court” and his decision sets a “very dangerous precedent” that must not be allowed to stand. [video here]

“First of all, he campaigned in favor of [the law]. He is breaking his word to the American people,” Gingrich says. Second, he swore an oath on the Bible to become president that he would uphold the Constitution and enforce the laws of the United States. He is not a one-person Supreme Court. The idea that we now have the rule of Obama instead of the rule of law should frighten everybody."

“The fact that the left likes the policy is allowing them to ignore the fact that this is a very unconstitutional act,” Gingrich said. (source)

Mike Huckabee:

[The President] said because some lower court decided that a part of DOMA was unconstitutional that he would not enforce it. OK. By that logic, he should not try to implement Obamacare, because some lower courts have already decided that it's unconstitutional.

That's hypocritical. It's hypocritical and it's dishonest, because when he ran for president, Chris, he said he supported traditional marriage. He's on the record. Now, the question is was he dishonest then? Is he dishonest now? Or did he change his view, and if he did when and why? (source: Fox News Sunday)

Mitt Romney:

Romney called the decision "an unfortunate mistake," saying Obama "has an obligation as chief executive to enforce and defend the laws of the nation. He should not abdicate that responsibility based on his own interpretations and personal views."

Tim Pawlenty:

“I firmly believe that marriage is between a man and a woman, as President Obama told us he believed in 2008. But now President Obama and his Justice Department would have us believe that traditional marriage laws are unconstitutional.

“I oppose the Justice Department’s political decision to reverse its policy defending the Defense of Marriage Act, a federal statute passed overwhelmingly by Congress and signed into law by President Clinton. The job of the Justice Department is to enforce and defend laws passed by Congress and signed by the President.”

I am disappointed that the President and his Justice Department have abdicated this responsibility, all for the sake of partisan political gain.” (source: The Washington Independent)

Ron Paul:

“Today’s announcement that the Obama Administration will abandon its obligation to enforce DOMA is truly disappointing and shows a profound lack of respect for the Constitution and the Rule of Law.

... “The Administration’s dereliction throws the door wide open for special interests to abuse Federal power and attempt to force Iowa to recognize non-traditional marriage. Upcoming battles are looming just over the horizon." (source)

Hermain Cain:

I think it is a breach of presidential duty bordering on treason. The oath of office by the president says that he will protect, observe, and defend the Constitution of the United States of America, which means all of its subsequent laws. The fact that he says that he has asked the Department of Justice not to enforce it, to me, is a breach duty as President of the United States. (source)

Mitch Daniels

Asked if Mitch Daniels, the Republican governor of Indiana and a possible presidential candidate, had commented on the marriage decision, a spokeswoman said that he “hasn’t, and with other things we have going on here right now, he has no plans.” (source: NYT)

Sarah Palin [update - Sarah Palin released this exclusive statement to us on her position]

"I have always believed that marriage is between one man and one woman. Like the majority of Americans, I support the Defense of Marriage Act and find it appalling that the Obama administration decided not to defend this federal law which was enacted with broad bipartisan support and signed into law by a Democrat president. It's appalling, but not surprising that the President has flip-flopped on yet another issue from his stated position as a candidate to a seemingly opposite position once he was elected."

Article source: The Hill, "Santorum, Bachmann lead way in criticizing Obama on DOMA decision." (www.thehill.com)

BREAKING: Speaker Boehner Says House Likely to Defend DOMA!

Your calls and letters are working!  Speaker Boehner just told The Hill that the House is likely to do something on DOMA soon.

To tell your Congressman to defend DOMA, click here. (since it only takes a few moments, ask a few of your friends to do the same!)

URGENT: Court Sets Deadline in DOMA Case – Contact Congress Today!

Dear Friend of Marriage,

Our task just became even more urgent.

On Friday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit gave us just three weeks to ensure that Congress steps up to defend DOMA. By March 18th, the Obama administration and the State of Massachusetts must agree on a new plan for how the pending DOMA litigation will proceed.

That’s right, when President Obama declared the Defense of Marriage Act unconstitutional last week, the Court ordered the administration to get together with the plaintiffs to develop a plan for the litigation – Eric Holder sitting down with Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley to plan the future of DOMA!

If Congress doesn’t step up quickly to defend DOMA, the Defense of Marriage Act may soon be history – the victim of an administration that is deliberately undercutting the very laws it is duty-bound to defend.

Gay marriage advocates are ramping up pressure on Congress with a new “Don’t Defend DOMA” campaign. Activists in Congress are proposing legislation to repeal DOMA.

It’s time to step it up! Take action today!

Thousands of you have already petitioned your Congressman to intervene on behalf of DOMA in the challenge filed by the State of Massachusetts. But if you haven’t yet done so, please use this link to send your email right now. Your calls and emails could make the difference – not just for DOMA, but for the future of marriage in our nation.

Over the next three weeks, Congress needs to hear from tens of thousands of Americans demanding that their elected representatives stand up for marriage and the rule of law. No president has the authority to unilaterally declare laws unconstitutional – that’s why we have courts, and our adversarial legal system.

Please forward this email to at least five friends today. Use the buttons at the top of this message to spread the word on Facebook and Twitter. Or just pick up the phone and call a friend. Whatever the means, I urge you to help get the word out. The future of marriage depends on it.

For two years, we’ve watched the fox guarding the DOMA hen house. Now the mask is off and the Obama administration has revealed its true colors. But if Congress doesn’t act soon, it will be too late.

We have 18 days. The clock is ticking. We need your action today.
Faithfully,

Brian Brown

Brian S. Brown,
President
National Organization for Marriage

Imperial County Ends the Standing Question?

Bob Unruh reports:

A newly elected county clerk in California says he has the answer to the question of "standing" being considered right now by the state Supreme Court in response to a query from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which is considering Proposition 8 – the constitutional amendment that defines marriage as between one man and one woman only.

"I took an oath of office to uphold the California Constitution, and Prop 8 is part of the Constitution," said Chuck Storey, the new county clerk for the County of Imperial. (source)