Lankford: SCOTUS Judicial Gymnastics Allowed Federal Court Decisions to Directly Conflict with Clear Will of States on Marriage

Press Release

Representative James Lankford (R-Okla.) issued the following statement after the Supreme Court today denied without comment seven petitions requesting a decision on whether states can continue to exercise their rights to define marriage within their borders:

"The Supreme Court ruled in 2013 that the federal government cannot deny marriage recognition to any person, if the state recognized the marriage, because marriage is a state institution. The Windsor case detailed the majority opinion of the Supreme Court by stating, "By history and tradition the definition and regulation of marriage has been treated as being within the authority and realm of the separate states.'

"Now, through judicial gymnastics the Supreme Court has allowed federal court decisions to stand that directly conflict with the clear will of a state on marriage. The Court should not in one year say a state can make the decision on marriage and then in the next year allow a local federal judge to reject a state's definition of marriage. The implications of forcing any state to redefine marriage have far-reaching effects on our American society, business operations and religious practice. Every person is created in God's image and has value and worth. Every person should be respected and honored. But, marriage is a unique cultural relationship that has a long-standing tradition and societal meaning, which should not be redefined by the courts."

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