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First openly gay Texas legislator files ethics complaint against AG over same-sex marriage ruling stance
Former state Rep. Glen Maxey, the Texas Democratic Party’s county affairs director and the first openly gay legislator in Texas, on Friday filed a complaint against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton with the State Bar over the latter’s insistence on defying the US Supreme Court’s ruling that legalized same-sex marriage nationwide.
Following the ruling, Paxton issued a statement telling Texas county clerks they can decline to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples if it violated their religious beliefs.
Although he warned that they could face lawsuits, he promised that ‘numerous lawyers stand ready to assist clerks defending their religious beliefs, in many cases on a pro-bono basis.’
He added, ‘I will do everything I can from this office to be a public voice for those standing in defense of their rights.’
Maxey said in a prepared statement, ‘It’s irresponsible for an elected official — and a lawyer — to tell other elected officials to break the law.’
‘He’s misleading county and state officials based on a false premise that they can discriminate against same-sex couples. This past Friday, the Supreme Court was clear with their decision to let same-sex couple marry. Paxton took an oath to defend and protect the constitution, he must comply with the court’s decision. Paxton is no stranger to shady business. This just gives us another reason to question his legitimacy as a Texas Attorney General, lawyer, and trustworthy individual,’ the Dallas Morning News reported Maxey as saying in a statement.
150 Texas attorneys signs letter threatening to file complaint against Texas AG for denying same-sex couples marriage licenses
Some 150 attorneys in Texas have also signed a letter threatening to file a complaint with the State Bar of Texas against Paxton.
Rockport attorney Stever Fischer, a former director of the State Bar of Texas, and Brian Bouffard, a Fort Worth military and criminal defense attorney who collected the signatures said Paxton ‘has violated several sections of the Texas Rules of Disciplinary Conduct by encouraging state employees in their non-compliance with the United States Supreme Court.’
Fischer also told the Dallas Morning News that he believes Maxey, who is not an attorney, may have acted too soon as they wanted to give Paxton a chance to reconsider.
The post First openly gay Texas legislator files ethics complaint against AG over same-sex marriage ruling stance appeared first on Gay Star News.
Sylvia Tan
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