North Carolina AG: It's Time To Stop Fighting Gay Marriage In Court

[DonViejo]

By SAHIL KAPUR Published JULY 28, 2014, 5:09 PM EDT

North Carolina Attorney General Roy Cooper said on Monday that his office would stop defending the state's gay marriage ban in court after an appeals court struck down a similar ban on same sex marriage in Virginia.

"Our attorneys have vigorously defended North Carolina's marriage law, which is their job," Cooper, a Democrat, told reporters. "Today we know our law almost surely will be overturned as well. Simply put, it's time to stop making arguments we will lose, and instead move forward knowing that the ultimate resolution will likely come from the United States Supreme Court."

The 4th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Virginia's ban on gay marriage violates the Constitution's equal protection clause. The ruling itself — which doesn't take effect just yet — only applies to Virginia, but the circuit decision sets a strong precedent for gay marriage in courts in North Carolina and the multiple other states it covers.

"[The ruling] does predict that our law will be struck down," Cooper said, arguing that continuing to defend the gay marriage ban in court would be "futile" because "judges in North Carolina are bound by the opinion."

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http://talkingpointsmemo.com/livewire/north-carolina-roy-cooper-ag-marriage

[RKP5637]

1. In a country that boasts to the world about its freedom and equality, there is something

very telling in how so many groups have to fight continuously for civil rights.

[zazen]

2. poor Roy--he's one guy standing up against a tsunami of elected hate and bigotry

He's our highest elected official (someone correct me if I'm wrong here) (not rep or senator) left in state govt, and the bozos keep trying to gut his budget and authority with every ounce of vitriole they have left after trying to ethnically cleanse our state's low-income minorities through Medicaid and unemployment cuts. He just keeps taking it for the team, God love him.