Calls for Texas judge to step down over anti-gay marriage comments
A judge in the US state of Texas is being urged to step down after revealing that he would not perform a same-sex marriage.
Mesquite Justice of the Peace Bill Metzger, was urged to step down by the county of Dallas’ Democratic Party.
The County Chair said Metzger should step down because he announced on his Facebook page that he would never officiate a same-sex marriage.
Metzger said, that as a devout Catholic, “my sincerely-held religious beliefs keeps me from being forced to conduct anything but a traditional wedding as a Judge per our Attorney General.”
“It is clear that any Justice of the Peace in Texas can refuse to perform a non-traditional wedding when that wedding can be performed by others,” he wrote.
In a statement, the Dallas County Democrats, said Metzger “Certainly has the right to his opinion, but he cannot hold office and continue to break the law.”
“By refusing to officiate same-sex marriages, Judge Bill Metzger is not only violating federal law, as interpreted by the United States Supreme Court, but he is also violating his Oath of Office. Therefore, he must resign,” Donovan wrote in the statement.
Responding to questions from NECN, Metzger’s Chief of Staff Dwayne Horner said, of why he decided to post on Facebook: “The Judge is out a lot in the community helping with charities (including recently helping the victims of the December 26 tornado that affected his precinct) and was asked recently. He is a regular user of Facebook and uses that tool to communicate.”
