It looks like Liberty Counsel has found their county clerk ... that one fearless upstanding county clerk that will stand up to the evil US Supreme Court and defy their evil and godless ruling in favor of marriage equality. Unfortunately for them, she lives in an out of the way West Texas town of about 1,600, and there have been no same-sex couples requesting marriage licenses from this county clerk ... yet. Nevertheless, she has created a related manifesto and sent it out far and wide.
From Towleroad:
The Liberty Counsel, an Orlando-based anti-LGBT hate group, says it will defend a Texas county clerk who is refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
The clerk, Molly Criner of tiny Irion County (shown above with her husband), has not yet been sued. And it’s unclear whether any same-sex couples have applied for licenses in the West Texas county, which has a population of just 1,500 people.
However, over the weekend, Criner issued a “Declaration of Obedience to Law and Defense of Natural Marriage,” in which she wrote:
1. I will continue to defend Natural Marriage as recognized by the People of Texas, in the Constitution and Laws of the State of Texas, consistent with the Declaration of Independence; the written United States Constitution; the Ninth, Tenth, and Fourteenth Amendments; and higher Natural Law.
2. Natural Marriage between one man and one woman remains the law in Texas, regardless of any court decision to the contrary. Any court decision purporting to strike down Natural Marriage, including Obergefell v. Hodges, is “unauthoritative, void, and of no force.”
3. I, as County Clerk, in faithful execution of the laws of Texas, shall resist unlawful federal or state court encroachments upon the prerogative of the People of Texas to protect Natural Marriage, and shall only issue marriage licenses consistent with Texas law, so help me God.
4. With a firm reliance upon the providence of Almighty God and the support of my fellow citizens, I call upon all of the Officers of the State of Texas, the Governor, the Attorney General, and the members of the Texas Legislature, to join with me, and utilize all authority within their power to protect Natural Marriage from lawless court opinions, wherever the source.
From the Liberty Counsel’s press release:
“The Supreme Court has historically made a number of bad rulings that time and justice have been able to realize and overcome,” said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel. “The opinion of five lawyers regarding marriage is another example of an unjust law that will be overcome as people stand together, individually, and as States,” Staver continued.
“Like Molly, each of us should vow not to be intimidated but, instead, to stand united for our God-given liberties and the Rule of Law,” Staver advised.
The US Supreme Court's ruling in Obergefell v Hodges is "unauthoritative, void, and of no force?” Really? I'm not sure that argument is going to work very well in a federal court. And, according to the above article, at least one gay couple is considering a trip to Irion County to request a marriage license and then intends to file suit if she refuses.
Perhaps, Professor John Corvino can help Ms Criner with her "natural law" problem.
Or, perhaps she is thinking of "natural law" in a more Catholic sense.