By L.A. Williams, Correspondent
Christian Action League
January 24, 2014
RICHMOND — Virginians who voted 57 to 43 percent in 2006 to preserve traditional marriage in the Old Dominion state are finding themselves betrayed by Attorney General Mark Herring. A Democrat who just took office this month, he announced Thursday that not only will he not defend their constitutional amendment, but that he is joining efforts to attack it.
“This is bad news for our neighbor to the north and for the overall legal battle for marriage,” said the Rev. Mark Creech, executive director of the Christian Action League. “While North Carolina is facing a challenge to our marriage amendment and has an AG who, like Herring, supports same-sex marriage, at least our lawmakers have had the foresight to pass legislation that allows them standing to defend the law if he fails to do so.”
Herring’s move has left Virginia lawmakers scrambling, with some seeking legal action against the attorney general for misuse of office. In fact, the National Organization for Marriage has called for his impeachment citing “malfeasance” and “neglect of duty.”
Strangely enough Herring said he voted for the constitutional amendment eight years ago, but now that he’s in office, he has changed his mind. Ironically, he campaigned for his post by criticizing former Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli, a Republican, for being an activist.
In announcing his decision to attack the law of the state he’s sworn to defend, Herring said he believes same-sex marriage is a fundamental right and “intends to ensure that Virginia is on the right side of history and the right side of the law.”
Dr. Creech said, “Not only is Herring’s move a slap in the face for voters and democracy itself, but it is truly an attack on the rule of law. It is a form of lawlessness.”
“Politicians who want to make the laws of their state need to run for its legislative body, not the AG’s office,” he added. “These kinds of shenanigans really amount to ego-driven declarations. Herring’s actions are an impeachable defense – a blatant trampling upon the constitution of the great state of Virginia. He is no more than a political thug who strong arms the will of the people and says, ‘Me and my cohorts know better than the people of this state. Get out of the way!’ The irony is the motto of Virginians is ‘Sic Semper Tyrannis’, which essentially means, ‘down with the tyrant.’”
Pat Mullins, chairman of Virginia’s Republican Party, said Herring had turned the issue into “a political farce.”
“The first job of Virginia’s attorney general is to be the commonwealth’s law firm, and to defend the duly passed laws of the commonwealth,” he told the media. “If Mark Herring doesn’t want to defend this case, he should resign.”
