Right wing Iowa angry at Judge Robert Hanson
To preface this report I once against state: If, during the civil rights movement, the rights of black people were voted upon by the people......... Therefore, as a gay man, I find it quite "interesting" and very biased, that gay rights are being subjected to the voting process.
The marriage of two ISU students was the first and last for same-sex couples in Iowa. Judge Robert Hanson struck down an Iowa law restricting marriage to a man and a woman on August 30th, 2007. On that day he ordered the Polk County recorder to begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
The next day, same-sex couples lined up to apply for marriage licenses, shortly after the license was issued, Iowa had its first legally-married same-sex couple. Later that day, the Polk County attorney's office filed a stay that temporarily suspended Judge Hanson's ruling and prevented additional same-sex marriages.
A battle over what happens next has been brewing ever since. A group called Everyday America says it has 6,100 people willing to put their names behind the effort to make lawmakers take action.
The group delivered its signed petitions to lawmakers this morning at the Iowa Statehouse. Supporters want lawmakers to impeach Judge Hanson for his ruling on gay marriage. "When someone does overstep their bounds, we the people of the state of Iowa have got to let them know we're watching and we're not just going to live on our knees by a judge who can do anything they want anymore," says Bill Salier, Co-Founder of Everyday America.
"Judge Hanson is the first judge in the state of Iowa to ever have this question before him. He didn't ask for it. He's just doing his job and critics are looking for his head," says Ben Stone with the Iowa ACLU.
The marriage of two ISU students was the first and last for same-sex couples in Iowa. Judge Robert Hanson struck down an Iowa law restricting marriage to a man and a woman on August 30th, 2007. On that day he ordered the Polk County recorder to begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
The next day, same-sex couples lined up to apply for marriage licenses, shortly after the license was issued, Iowa had its first legally-married same-sex couple. Later that day, the Polk County attorney's office filed a stay that temporarily suspended Judge Hanson's ruling and prevented additional same-sex marriages.
A battle over what happens next has been brewing ever since. A group called Everyday America says it has 6,100 people willing to put their names behind the effort to make lawmakers take action.
The group delivered its signed petitions to lawmakers this morning at the Iowa Statehouse. Supporters want lawmakers to impeach Judge Hanson for his ruling on gay marriage. "When someone does overstep their bounds, we the people of the state of Iowa have got to let them know we're watching and we're not just going to live on our knees by a judge who can do anything they want anymore," says Bill Salier, Co-Founder of Everyday America.
"Judge Hanson is the first judge in the state of Iowa to ever have this question before him. He didn't ask for it. He's just doing his job and critics are looking for his head," says Ben Stone with the Iowa ACLU.
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