Texas' Attorney General Greg Abbott Vows to Defend Gay Marriage Ban as Couples File Lawsuit
Two same-sex couples in Texas filed a federal lawsuit this week challenging the state's constitutional ban on same-sex marriage that was overwhelmingly approved by voters in 2005. The couples argue that the ban unconstitutionally prevents them from enjoying the benefits of married couples, while the state's Attorney General Greg Abbott has vowed to vigorously defend the ban.
Lawyers for the couples said in court documents filed this week in the U.S. District Court in San Antonio that their clients are being unconstitutionally discriminated against by not being allowed to marry in the state, where in 2005, nearly 75 percent of voters approved a constitutional amendment defining marriage as being between one man and one woman. The lawsuit specifically argues that the June ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court that overturned a key provision of the Defense of Marriage Act conflicts with state-to-state bans...
Paul Washer | 2/17/2011
