March, 04 2014, 11:32am EDT
For Immediate Release
Contact:
Angela Dallara
Media Relations Manager, Freedom to Marry
angela@freedomtomarry.org
646-430-3925
Kentucky AG Won't Appeal Marriage Ruling
Today attorney general Jack Conway of Kentucky said he won't appeal an order by a federal judge to respect the marriages of same-sex couples legally performed in other states. U.S. District Judge John G. Heyburn II was appointed by President George H. W. Bush in 1992, on the recommendation of current Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
Marc Solomon, national campaign director of Freedom to Marry, released the following statement:
WASHINGTON
Today attorney general Jack Conway of Kentucky said he won't appeal an order by a federal judge to respect the marriages of same-sex couples legally performed in other states. U.S. District Judge John G. Heyburn II was appointed by President George H. W. Bush in 1992, on the recommendation of current Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY).
Marc Solomon, national campaign director of Freedom to Marry, released the following statement:
"Today's decision by Kentucky attorney general Jack Conway echoes that of state attorneys general across America who refuse to defend discrimination. Conway stands on the right side of history along with the Republican-appointed Kentucky federal judge who held that there is no legitimate justification for denying equal protection to same-sex couples. A growing bipartisan majority of Americans know it is wrong to deny anyone the freedom to marry the person they love. With a marriage case potentially making it to the Supreme Court as soon as 2015, we must continue to make the case across the country that all of America is ready for the freedom to marry."
On Feb. 24, Freedom to Marry launched a new campaign to grow majority support for marriage in the South called Southerners for the Freedom to Marry. Polling shows that support for marriage across the Southern states is evenly divided.
Kentucky Gov. Steve Beshear is expected to hire outside attorneys to appeal the judge's decision.
Freedom to Marry is the gay and non-gay partnership working to win marriage equality nationwide. Headed by Evan Wolfson, one of America's leading civil rights advocates and lawyers, Freedom to Marry brings new resources and a renewed context of urgency and opportunity to this social justice movement.
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