US: Republican lawmakers consider legal action over New Mexico county issuing same-sex marriage licences
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Republican lawmakers in the US state of New Mexico have said they are considering legal action over a judge’s decision to make a broad ruling that same-sex couples should not be excluded from being issue marriage certificates.
The New Mexico constitution does not expressively prohibit same-sex couples from marrying but no recognition of same-sex relationships previously existed within the state.
The lawmakers said that they were considering legal action after a district judge in Bernalillo County gave the green light for same-sex couples to marry there.
“First we were looking at the lawlessness of Dona Anna County Clerk. But now we are looking at the usurpation of the entire democratic system,” said state Senator Bill Sharer.
He continued to say that judges and county clerks had overstepped a mark by beginning to issue licences.
“Does the legislature with the consent of the governor make the law or is this now the wild, wild, wild, west where each judge makes his or her own law?” asked Sharer.
The Senator has hired an attorney, and he said he is not sure how quickly legal action will move forward.
Governor Susana Martinez said that she believes the issue of same-sex marriage should be decided by the population of New Mexico, rather than courts or legislature.
The Democrats said that they believed that marriages from the certificates since the ruling will stand, and that they will fight legal action by GOP lawmakers.