US: Arkansas Attorney General launches defence of marriage ban despite ‘supporting’ same-sex marriage
Arkansas’ Attorney General has launched a bid to maintain the state’s constitutional marriage ban, despite claiming to support same-sex marriage.
On Wednesday, Dustin McDaniel filed a legal bid asking a judge to maintain the state’s ban, and reject a request from a same-sex couple for summary judgement in their legal challenge.
In his brief, he claimed that the US Supreme Court had recognised that same-sex marriage harmed state interests.
According to Arkansas News, his office listed these interests as: retaining the referendum process; encouraging procreation; ensuring children are raised in a stable family unit by their biological parents; preserving the social and traditional value of marriage; and opposing the government’s social experiments.
Earlier this year, McDaniel, a member of the Democratic Party, announced his support for same-sex marriage but pledged to support the state’s ban on it.
He said: “I want to tell you I do support marriage equality and I do believe Arkansans should have the right to be equal in the eyes of the law.
“I’m going to zealously defend our constitution, but at the same time I think it’s important to let people where I stand on the matter.”
McDaniel divorced his first wife Amanda McDaniel in 2007, marrying his second Bobbi McDaniel in 2009, with whom he has three children.
