Monday, June 29, 2015
Associated Press
LUBBOCK, Texas
Texas’ conservative Republican Attorney General Ken Paxton called the Supreme Court decision giving same-sex couples the right to marry a “lawless ruling” and said state workers can cite their religious objections in denying marriage licenses.
He warned in a statement Sunday that any clerk, justice of the peace or other administrator who declines to issue a license to a same-sex couple could face litigation or a fine.
But in the nonbinding legal opinion requested by Republican Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick, Paxton said “numerous lawyers” stand ready to defend, free of charge, any public official refusing to grant one.
In its 5-4 opinion Friday, the Supreme Court did nothing to eliminate rights of religious liberty, Paxton’s opinion states.
“This newly minted federal constitutional right to same-sex marriage can and should peaceably coexist with long-standing constitutional and statutory rights, including the rights to free exercise of religion and freedom of speech,” the AG wrote.
Though many Republicans have said they disagreed with the Supreme Court ruling, officials in most states have said that they will abide by it. Paxton’s comments echoed those Friday of Gov. Greg Abbott, who said Texans can’t be forced by the court ruling to act contrary to their religious beliefs.
“Despite the Supreme Court’s rulings, Texans’ fundamental right to religious liberty remains protected,” Abbott said Friday.
In his two-page memo, Abbott ordered agency leaders that no one in their ranks could take “adverse action” against someone acting on their religious beliefs, including “granting or denying benefits.”