News Release
For Immediate Release: September 27, 2013
Contact: Diane Gramley 1.814.271.9078 or 1.814.437.5355
Attorney Exposes Real Motive in DOMA Challenges
(Harrisburg) — As the fourth challenge to Pennsylvania’s Defense of Marriage Act was filed in court yesterday, an attorney involved in one of the lawsuits expressed his desire for an activist court to force the legislature to legalize so-called same-sex marriage. The American Family Association of Pennsylvania (AFA of PA), a statewide advocate for one man one woman true marriage, expressed outrage over the suggestion of an unconstitutional mixing of powers between the legislative and judicial branches.
“David Cohen, attorney for the 21 same-sex couples who had attempted to intervene in the Montgomery County case and have now filed a separate lawsuit, is absolutely wrong in wanting to give the judicial branch the power to force the legislative branch to do something the people don’t want them to do,” noted Diane Gramley, president of the AFA of PA.
Article II, Section 1 of the PA Constitution says, “The legislative power of this Commonwealth, shall be vested in a General Assembly, which shall consist of a Senate and a House of Representatives.” Additionally, Article 1, Section 12 says, “No power of suspending laws shall be exercised unless by the Legislature or by its authority.”
“Homosexual activists and their allies have consistently depended upon activist judges to further their efforts to redefine marriage across the country. It is now quite evident that they intend to use the same tactic in Pennsylvania. Apparently it doesn’t matter what our Constitution says as far as who has the power to introduce and pass laws – they want a judge to advance their agenda,” Gramley further commented.
All this could have been avoided by passing a Marriage Protection Amendment (MPA) back in 2006 when one was first introduced. There have been several efforts since and the Legislature now has the opportunity to right the wrongs that have occurred in the past when they failed to pass an MPA. The legislature must give Pennsylvania voters an opportunity to vote on amending our Constitution to define marriage as only between one man and one woman. The current MPA, HB 1349, has been introduced by Representative Daryl Metcalfe.
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