FLORIDA: Liberty Counsel Continues Attempts To Stop Same-Sex Marriage

Same-sex marriage has been legal in Florida for months, but not in the bizarre parallel universe inhabited by the Liberty Counsel. Via press release:

Liberty Counsel filed three briefs to stop Florida clerks in Osceola County, Orange County, and Manatee County from ignoring the rule of law and providing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. “The Clerk’s present policy of issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples violates the public ministerial duty not to issue such licenses under the Florida Constitution and Statutes. The Clerk has no discretion to violate the Constitution of Florida, the laws of Florida, and the clearly expressed will of the People of Florida,” Liberty Counsel told the courts. “Florida’s marriage laws could not be more clear: The Clerk has a duty not to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples,” the briefs pointed out. “It is equally clear that neither the Brenner Injunction nor any other authority compels or authorizes the Clerk to disregard Florida’s marriage laws. The Florida public and the rule of law are being injured by the Clerk’s open disregard of her public duties.” As a result of the purposeful misinterpretation of Judge Hinkle’s now infamous “clarification” in the federal case Brenner v. Scott, the clerks of court in Osceola, Orange, and Manatee counties began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples early this year, disregarding their oaths to uphold the Florida Constitution.

According to the three briefs, the federal ruling that legalized same-sex marriage in Florida only applies to the plaintiffs in that case. The Liberty Counsel is based in Orlando, which makes this extra fun.