Attorney
general: 'We must live by and follow what the courts decide'
Posted:
April 24, 2009
12:10 am Eastern
By Bob Unruh
© 2009 WorldNetDaily
Iowa
Attorney General Tom Miller is warning the county recorders' offices in his state that
workers must process "marriage" licenses for same-sex duos or face
possible charges in a court of law.
"If
necessary, we will explore legal actions to enforce and implement the court's
ruling, working with the
But an announcement today from a statewide pro-family organization and a
public interest law firm with a reach that goes around the world means the
issue of same-sex weddings eventually could end up back in court.
The statements from Miller relate to the state Supreme Court's decision that
Miller praised the decision as "clear and well-reasoned" and
explained it is expected to take effect April 27, since court offices are
closed tomorrow.
In a series of messages on his website, he first "advised"
recorders and registrars to provide "full access" to marriage.
Then he instructed: "A county registrar should furnish the forms in the
same manner as in opposite gender applications."
"The Supreme Court's decision … does change state law: the decision
expressly strikes from Iowa Code chapter 595 the language which limits civil
marriage to a man and a woman," he ordered.
Then came the warning that "legal actions" could
be pursued.
"We must live by and follow what the courts decide," he said.
However, a letter sent to county recorders by the Alliance Defense Fund says Miller
is forgetting completely about "one of the most foundational rights and
liberties we enjoy as Iowans" … "the right of conscience."
That right, the letter says, is codified in Iowa Code 146.1.
"This right is based upon the simple truth that it is wrong to force
anyone to violate his or her conscience," said the letter, also from the Iowa Family Policy Council.
It cites the motto on the seal
of the state, which reads, "Our liberties we prize and our rights we will maintain."
"This noble motto … is emblematic of the moral sentiments of Iowans
from the banks of the
The letter suggests counties adopt policies that ensure no one will be
required to "issue or process a marriage license, or to perform, assist,
or participate in such procedures, against that individual's religious beliefs
or moral convictions."
The suggested policy continues: "A person shall not discriminate
against any individual in any way, including but not limited to employment,
promotion, advancement, transfer, licensing, education, training, or the
granting of employment privileges or conditions, because of the individual's
participation in or refusal to participate in the issuance of a marriage
license."
If Miller does not like that, the ADF "will defend this policy language
and will provide free legal review and defense if this policy is challenged on
the basis of its content."
"This policy would protect objecting employees
from being forced to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples if doing so
would violate the employee's conscience," the ADF said.
Doug Napier, ADF senior legal counsel, said government
employees who believe in marriage as the union of one man and one woman should
not be penalized for abiding by their beliefs.
"This policy allows an employee who does not wish to violate his or her
own conscience by issuing a marriage license to a same-sex couple to abstain and
allow the transaction to be performed by someone who is willing to do it,"
he said. "Forcing them to participate in offensive acts contrary to their
deeply held beliefs in order to remain employed is unconstitutional.
"Contrary to the threatening statement issued by Attorney General Tom
Miller on April 21, the citizens of
"This right of conscience protects individuals against heavy-handed
coercion by the state, including the attorney general," he said.
Napier said the
Miller, on his web page, affirmed that the justices were creating new law.
Napier said the solution would be for the state legislature to allow state
residents to vote on the issue. The Iowa Family Policy Council already has
begun work on that effort at a website
promoting a marriage amendment.
A spokesman for the state organization said it had been contacted by a
number of recorders or their employees expressing concern that the state's
orders on a moral issue would violate their religious beliefs.
The same issue arose when a state court in California
last year ruled there that county offices must issue
same-sex "marriage" licenses. Several county officials were in the
position of developing a challenge to the orders when voters took the issue in
hand and in November overruled the court.
The voters in