Fallin ‘disappointed’ in ruling

Staff report

Governor Mary Fallin reacted to Federal District Judge Terence Kern’s ruling that Oklahoma’s same-sex marriage ban is unconstitutional:

"In 2004, the people of Oklahoma voted to amend the state's constitution to define marriage as ‘the union of one man and one woman.’ That amendment passed with 75 percent support.

“The people of Oklahoma have spoken on this issue. I support the right of Oklahoma's voters to govern themselves on this and other policy matters. I am disappointed in the judge's ruling and troubled that the will of the people has once again been ignored by the federal government."

Fallin has a long record of making anti-gay statements and taking anti-gay actions. Earlier this year, when DOMA was rejected by the Supreme Court, Fallin said, "Like the vast majority of Oklahomans, I support traditional marriage. I do not and will not support expanding the definition of marriage to include same-sex couples.”

When Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel ordered that the military, including the Reserves and the National Guard, give full spousal benefits to military same-sex married couples she resisted. She finally came up with a scheme requiring all guard married couples, gay or straight, to apply for benefits only at federal installations, a serious and unnecessary imposition on all Guard couples.

As a member of Congress, she:

• Voted NO on prohibiting job discrimination based on sexual orientation (2007)
• Amend Constitution to define traditional marriage (2008)
• Voted NO on enforcing against anti-gay hate crimes (2009)

Fallin is running for election to a second term this year. In the GOP, she faces a primary challenge from ultra-conservative former state Sen. Randy Brogdon. In the general election, she faces Democratic state Rep. Joe Dorman, who is the only Democrat in the governor’s race.

The Gayly – January 15, 2014 @ 10:30am