ILLINOIS: State Attorney General To Back Same-Sex Marriage Challenge
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan has announced that her office will present arguments in support of the challenge to the ban on same-sex marriage. Nice!
The lawsuits, filed Wednesday, are against the clerk of Cook County and claim that his refusal to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples violates those couples’ rights to due process and equal protection under the Illinois Constitution. Today's filing said that the attorney general will "present the Court with arguments that explain why the challenged statutory provisions do not satisfy the guarantee of equality under the Illinois Constitution." Cook County Clerk David Orr has stated that he applauds the lawsuits and is in favor of same-sex marriage. Officials from the state’s attorney’s office, which will represent Orr, did not respond to calls seeking comment. Gov. Pat Quinn has also expressed his support for same-sex marriage.
Labels: Illinois, lawsuits, LGBT rights, marriage equality