Governor Otter Seeks Emergency Stay on Same-Sex Marriage Ruling

Statement

Governor C.L. "Butch" Otter issued the following statement today on his request to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for an emergency stay pending appeal of U.S. Magistrate Candy Dale's ruling that the Idaho Constitution's definition of marriage is unconstitutional.

"My first and highest responsibility is to defend the Idaho Constitution and the will of the people of Idaho as expressed at the ballot box. Idaho voters decided this issue in 2006 by defining "marriage' in our Constitution as a union between a man and a woman. As Governor, it is my duty to aggressively support that decision throughout the legal process. We did that before Judge Dale with arguments that go to the heart of Idaho's values and respect for the family unit as it's been embraced by society for millennia. But we have seen enough federal judges around the country ignoring the expressed will of voters and the constitutionally protected sovereignty of states that we know this issue will be finally decided by the United States Supreme Court. My job now is to ensure our state's voice is heard loud and clear on appeal, and that Idaho's right to self-determination is not further undermined."

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