TEXAS: Haters Celebrate Houston Ruling

Much praising of God is taking place.

The Texas Response

"We invite all Texans to join us as we celebrate and fully explain the new Pastor Protection law & discuss the Supreme Court’s marriage decision. We will also talk about the impact of the Court’s decision on religious freedom and free speech & share what YOU can do to make a difference!"

TEXAS: Hate Group Denounces "Frivolous" Lawsuit Filed Against County Clerk

Via press release from Texas Values:

It has come to our attention that a same-sex ‘marriage’ license has been issued in Hood County, Texas. However, we are also aware of false reports that County Clerk Katie Lang “gives in” and did an “about face” and issued and signed the license herself. As seen in the attached link, Deputy County Clerk Kristi Jackson signed the same sex marriage license, not Katie Lang. Our view is that County Clerk Katie Lang has maintained her position regarding her sincerely held religious beliefs as she clearly stated last week, that other staff members in the clerk’s office would issue same sex marriage licenses, which is what happened today. Therefore, the lawsuit filed today by a homosexual couple is frivolous and is simply being maintained to punish Katie Lang for exercising her religious beliefs and to request money for lawyers.

Lang is being defended by the Plano-based Liberty Institute.

TEXAS: Haters Rally For County Clerk Who Won't Issue Same-Sex Marriage Licenses

Jonathan Saenz Has The Sadz

Texas Hate Group Warns County Clerk: Issuing Same-Sex Marriage Licenses Will Be A Criminal Act

Texas Values head Jonathan Saenz has sent a letter to Dallas County Clerk John Warren, warning that no matter how the Supreme Court rules, issuing a same-sex marriage license will be a criminal act. Hit the link and read the letter. (Tipped by JMG reader Rob)

Jonathan Saenz Has The Texas Sadz

Nearly two dozen anti-LGBT bills failed in the Texas legislature in recent months. Now that the hate clock has run out, Texas Values head Jonathan Saenz is blaming the Texas Chamber of Commerce, which came out against several of the bills.

TEXAS: Hate Group Celebrates Democrat Who Revived "Defy SCOTUS" Bill

Earlier today Texas state Rep. Cecil Bell's bill to super-triple-extra ban same-sex marriage was revived when it was attached as an amendment by Democratic state Sen. Eddie Lucio. Texas Values is so pleased that they've photoshopped Lucio into the photo of Bell cutting the "celebration" cake marking the tenth anniversary of the Texas ban on same-sex marriage. That anniversary doesn't actually occur until late this year, but Texas Values figured they'd celebrate before SCOTUS hands down its ruling. Not incidentally, Lucio's Wikipedia entry reads very much like he wrote it himself.

Jonathan Saenz: People Have Moved To Texas Because It Bans Gay Marriage

Texas Values head Jonathan Saenz (above left) is ever so pissed that major corporations have come out in favor of same-sex marriage. Don't they know that people have moved to Texas because of its wonderful anti-gay laws?

LIVE VIDEO: Texas Senate State Affairs Panel Hears Anti-Gay Marriage Bill

The Texas Senate State Affairs Committee has just begun debate on SB2065.

Sec. 2.601. RIGHTS OF CERTAIN RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATIONS. A religious organization, an organization supervised or controlled by or in connection with a religious organization, an individual employed by a religious organization while acting in the scope of that employment, or a clergy or minister may not be required to solemnize any marriage, provide services, accommodations, facilities, goods, or privileges for a purpose related to the solemnization, formation, or celebration of any marriage, or treat any marriage as valid for any purpose if the action would cause the organization or individual to violate a sincerely held religious belief.

Sec. 2.602. DISCRIMINATION AGAINST RELIGIOUS ORGANIZATION PROHIBITED. A refusal to provide services, accommodations, facilities, goods, or privileges under Section 2.601 is not the basis for a civil or criminal cause of action or any other action by this state or a political subdivision of this state to penalize or withhold benefits or privileges, including tax exemptions or governmental contracts, grants, or licenses, from any protected organization or individual.

Watch it live here.

Texas Values Has The Houston Sadz

"This result is evidence that the city government has made a mess of this issue and they have made the community more divided. Despite today's ruling, we stand united with the people of Houston against this divisive and oppressive ordinance. It's been clear throughout this lengthy process that Mayor Parker will go to any length to shut the people of Houston out of this process and force residents to accept this LGBT special rights law against their will. Houstonians should be the ones to decide this issue, and we believe Texas' appellate courts will ultimately preserve the voting rights of the people. When the people finally get their say, this ordinance will be voted down." - Jonathan Saenz, head of Texas Values.

HOUSTON: LGBT Rights Bill Will Stand

Via the Houston Chronicle:

Opponents of Houston's non-discrimination ordinance failed to gather enough valid signatures to force a repeal referendum, a state district judge ruled Friday, validating city officials' decision to toss out the petition foes submitted last summer. After separate rulings from both a jury and state District Judge Robert Schaffer, attorneys for both sides entered dueling counts of the valid signatures, adding and subtracting voters as Schaffer responded to motions. By early this week, the counts were closer together than ever before, fewer than 1,000 signatures apart. Ultimately, Schaffer on Friday ruled the final count of valid signatures was 16,684, leaving opponents short of the threshold required in the city charter of 17,249 signatures, or 10 percent of the ballots cast in the last mayoral election.

"The jury's verdict and the judge's ruling are a powerful smack-down against the forces of discrimination and intolerance," said Geoffrey Harrison, lead attorney for the city, in a statement. "And maybe, just maybe, they'll reconsider their misguided ways." The law, on hold during trial, is now in effect, according to a city spokeswoman. Mayor Annise Parker released a statement celebrating the verdict. "I would hope that the plaintiffs would not appeal, they lost during a jury trial and today they also lost with the judge's ruling," Parker said. "Now all Houstonians have access to the same protections." But opponents, largely conservative activists and pastors whose objections center on the protections the law extends to gay and transgender residents, say they will appeal the decision. Andy Taylor, attorney for the plaintiffs, said he remains confident they will ultimately take the law to voters.

Stand by for some epic sadz! Read the ruling.

TEXAS: Live From Today's Hate Rally

Texas Values is about to begin its anti-gay marriage hate rally in Austin where Judge Roy Moore and Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton are among the scheduled speakers. Lone Star Q is on the scene and live-tweeting. Hit the link and follow along.

UPDATE: The Austin Statesman is also live-tweeting.

UPDATE II: The opening prayer was delivered by Rick Scarborough, who has declared that God would be justified in nuking America because we have gay ambassadors. He's also called for a class action lawsuit against homosexuality itself.

UPDATE III: Also making an appearance today was Texas state Rep. Cecil Bell, who has introduced a bill to stop the paychecks of any state employee who issues a same-sex marriage license. Pictured with Bell is Texas Values head Jonathan Saenz, whose wife left him for another woman.

UPDATE IV: The final speaker was Roy Moore.

TEXAS: Haters Cheer Lawsuit To Stop Gay People From Caring For Sick Spouses

"We fully support Texas Attorney General Paxton’s actions to ensure that both the U.S. Constitution and the Texas constitution are fully respected and upheld. The federal government’s effort to force state agencies to recognize out-of-state same-sex marriages is just another example egregious abuse of power. We are appalled by the federal Department of Labor’s blatant disrespect for Texas voters and Texas values. This federal government overreach by an Obama agency is way out of line and must be stopped." - Texas Values head Jonathan Saenz, applauding the federal lawsuit to exclude same-sex couples from medical leave.

TEXAS: Hate Group Celebrates Tenth "Banniversary" Of Anti-Gay Marriage Vote

Photo caption: "Today at our Faith and Family Day celebration we honored the 10th anniversary of Texas' marriage amendment defining marriage as #1Man1Woman. We are thankful to have so many great Texas legislators committed to standing for marriage. No doubt Texas is committed to defending marriage!" FACT CHECK: The tenth anniversary of the Texas vote actually isn't until November, but hey - they must have been panicked by that one marriage in Travis County. The guy cutting the cake, by the way, is state Rep. Cecil Bell, author of the bill that would halt the paychecks of any state employee who issues a same-sex marriage license.

From the Texas Observer:

Hellfire may be licking at Texans’ heels, but bitter cold forced the righteous inside today. For months, groups such as Texas Values and the Texas Eagle Forum had planned to convene for Texas Faith and Family Day and give a mighty rebuke to changing cultural norms on the south steps of the Capitol, a venue that can lend grandeur to even small rallies. Instead, they filled a little more than half of the 350-seat Capitol auditorium. A pastor—one of the so-called Houston Five who’ve been involved in a fight with Houston mayor Annise Parker—delivered a closing prayer: “We declare this state to be the sovereign territory of Jesus Christ,” he said, eliciting “amens” from the crowd.

TEXAS: Petition To Repeal Plano LGBT Rights Ordinance Ruled Totally Invalid

From the Dallas Morning News:

A Plano petition drive aimed at the city’s LGBT ordinance is invalid, the city has announced. Last month, opponents of the city’s Equal Rights Ordinance say they turned in petitions containing more than the 3822 signatures required to force the City Council to repeal the measure or put it on the ballot.

Plano officials say the petition contained false information about the ordinance, claiming that it regulates bathrooms. “By making this false representation, the Equal Rights petition asked signees to repeal an ordinance that does not exist,” according to a statement issued by the city.

The petitions did not include a copy of the ordinance, as required by the City Charter, and did not include a a column for the county of voter registration, as required by the Texas Election Code, according to the city. Plano officials say they sent an email to the organizing groups prior to their deadline to inform them of some of the problems, with links to the appropriate websites.

BOOM. Read the full statement from the city.

Texas Hate Group Has The Marriage Sadz

"The Texas Supreme Court needs to step in immediately and put a stop to this lawlessness and clear disrespect and defiance towards our marriage laws. This rogue ruling is just more evidence that supporters of redefining marriage refuse to play by the rules and some judges and clerks will do anything to advance their own agenda. This is exactly why state legislators are working on laws to hold government officials accountable when they violate our Texas marriage laws." - Texas Values head Jonathan Saenz, whose wife left him for another woman.

HOUSTON: Jury Rules That LGBT Rights Repeal Petition Signatures Were Forged, But Case Is Far From Over

Via the Houston Chronicle:

The city claimed victory Friday when the jury in the trial surrounding Houston's equal rights ordinance found that the law's opponents submitted a repeal referendum petition that contained forgery and other flaws. However, it issued a series of decisions that were far from a clean sweep for either side. The ruling is not final, and a judge will now consider the jury's findings about the work of more than 100 circulators of the petition that the city rejected last summer, citing overwhelming notary and signature-gatherer errors. District Judge Robert Schaffer was not present for Friday's ruling after nearly six days of jury deliberation. Attorneys on both sides said he will now begin counting which signatures are valid to see if opponents have reached the needed 17,269-signature threshold.

The anti-gay groups supporting the repeal have not yet reacted on Twitter.  Whatever the final outcome, the losing side is expected to appeal.

Texas Hater Jonathan Saenz: We're Going To Win At The Fifth Circuit Court

Yesterday Texas Values head Jonathan Saenz appeared on the Family Research Council's radio show to express optimism that the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals will uphold the ban on same-sex marriage in his home state. Saenz goes on to denounce the "disrespectful lack of decorum" during Friday's oral arguments when his side presented their ridiculous claims. "This issue is not a laughing matter!"

Texas Hater Predicts Win At Fifth Circuit

"The tradition, until recently, had been adopted by all governments and major religions of the world. That's how settled the issue of marriage has been in our country and in our world. And in Texas we dealt with this issue before and settled it at the polls the way it should, when voters voted 76 percent in 2005. It's really a shame that all of that legitimate work could be undone by the stroke of a pen of a few federal court judges, but I think that a lot of people and a lot of legal experts believe and agree that the federal Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals will rule in favor of state marriage laws. That will be for Texas, that will be for Louisiana and Mississippi, and that will be a significant turning point in the debate and the discussion on this issue."  - Texas Values head Jonathan Saenz, speaking to OneNewsNow.