US: Oregon’s Attorney General refuses to defend state gay marriage ban
The Attorney General of the US state of Oregon has announced that she will not defend her state’s ban on same-sex marriage.
Ellen Rosenblum made the announcement this week that she would not defend the ban, as she argued that it would not stand up against a federal constitutional challenge.
In a court filing, she wrote that the state “will not defend the Oregon ban on same-sex marriage in this litigation.”
Despite this, the state will continue to enforce the ban.
She last year signed a US Supreme Court brief arguing that denying marriage rights to gay couples was unconstitutional.
According to the Associated Press, at least five other states have already done the same.
A 2004 constitutional amendment approved by 57% of voters to 43%, defined marriage as exclusively between one man and one woman.
Campaigners have just announced a petition which has over 127,000 signatures towards putting a question on the ballot to reverse the amendment.
Gay rights advocates commended the two possible channels towards achieving equal marriage, hoping for the quickest possible outcome.
The question would go on a November ballot for voters.
