Six Texas lawsus target gay marriage, LGBT rights after the fall of Roe v. Wa

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• SIX TEXAS LAWSUS TARGET GAY MARRIAGE, LGBT RIGHTS AFTER THE FALL OF ROE V. WAJONATHAN MCHELL, THE LAWYER WHO HELPED WRE THE ABORTN BOUNTY LAW, IS BEHD SEVERAL S THAT ULD ADVERSELY AFFECT LGBT RIGHTS. THE CY OF DALLAS' PRI FLAG (RIGHT) FLI ALONGSI THE TEXAS AND U.S. FLAGS OUTSI OF CY HALL DOWNTOWN DALLAS, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2020 HONOR OF PRI MONTH. TEXAS IS POISED TO BEE A BATTLEGROUND FOR LGBT RIGHTS, AS NO FEWER THAN A HALF DOZEN LAWSUS ON THE ISSUE HAVE BEEN FILED BY THE STATE'S FORMER SOLICOR GENERAL OVER THE ISSUE RECENT YEARS. (TOM FOX/THE DALLAS MORNG NEWS)(TOM FOX / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)BY LREN MCGGHY7:00 AM ON JUL 21, 2022 CDTAUSTIN — IN THE WAKE OF THE TOPPLG OF ROE VS. WA AND WH JTICE CLARENCE THOMAS URGG THE U.S. SUPREME COURT TO REVIS LGS ON GAY SEX AND MARRIAGE, TEXAS IS THE STAGE FOR SEVERAL LAWSUS ALG WH LGBT RIGHTS.RIGHT NOW, A HALF DOZEN S ON EVERYTHG OM SURANCE VERAGE FOR HIV PREVENTN TO EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMATN AND SAME-SEX MARRIAGE ARE WENDG THEIR WAY THROUGH STATE AND FERAL URTS HERE. THEIR OUT ULD RADILLY ALTER RIGHTS FOR LBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENR PEOPLE TEXAS AND ACROSS THE UNTRY.ADVERTISEMENTTHE LAWSUS ALL HAVE ONE THG MON: FORMER TEXAS SOLICOR GENERAL JONATHAN MCHELL.ADVERTISEMENTBT KNOWN AS THE MAN BEHD THE STATE LAW THAT ALLOWS TEXANS TO FILE CIVIL LAWSUS AGAST PEOPLE WHO HELP PREGNANT PEOPLE GET ABORTNS, MCHELL OPENED UP A LAW FIRM AT FOUR YEARS AGO WH THE GOAL OF SYSTEMATILLY DISMANTLG S OF URT LGS HE BELIEV PART OM THE U.S. CONSTUTN.BREAKG NEWSGET THE LATT BREAKG NEWS OM NORTH TEXAS AND BEYOND.EMAIL ADDRSBY SIGNG UP YOU AGREE TO OUR TERMS OF SERVICE AND PRIVACY POLICYSUBMITTHE DALLAS MORNG NEWS IS TRACKG SIX OF HIS S THAT ORIGATED TEXAS AND AL WH LGBT RIGHTS. HERE’S A SUMMARY OF EACH SE.RELATED:AFTER ROE, ARCHECT OF TEXAS ABORTN LAW SETS SIGHTS ON GAY MARRIAGE AND MOREADVERTISEMENTGAY MARRIAGEDIANNE HENSLEY VS. STATE COMMISSN ON JUDICIAL CONDUCT (THIRD COURT OF APPEALS)BRIAN KEH UMPHRS VS. DAVID HALL, ET AL. (NORTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS)ADVERTISEMENTSUMMARY: BOTH OF THE S WERE BROUGHT BY TEXAS OFFICIALS WH THE THORY TO PERFORM WEDDGS BUT WHO DO NOT WANT TO OFFER MARRIAG TO SAME-SEX UPL BEE THEY SAY VLAT THEIR RELIG BELIEFS.ADVERTISEMENTONE SE STATE URT, FILED BY MCLENNAN COUNTY JTICE OF THE PEACE DIANNE HENSELY, ARGU THAT MARRIAGE OFFICIANTS WHO ARE ERNMENT OFFICIALS SHOULD BE ABLE TO RECE THEMSELV OM PERFORMG CEREMONI FOR GAY UPL IF THE UPL HAVE A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE OPTN TO BE WED. THE OTHER SE, FERAL URT AND FILED BY JACK COUNTY JUDGE BRIAN KEH UMPHRS, MAK A SIAR ARGUMENT.BUT THE UMPHRS SE GO FURTHER, ARGUG THAT THE U.S. SUPREME COURT ERRED WHEN CLARED GAY MARRIAGE BANS UNNSTUTNAL 2015. IT URG THE URT TO REVIS THAT CISN.“THERE IS NO NSTUTNAL RIGHT TO SAME-SEX MARRIAGE,” THE UMPHRS SE READS. “THE FERAL JUDICIARY HAS NO THORY TO REGNIZE OR VENT ‘FUNDAMENTAL’ NSTUTNAL RIGHTS.”ADVERTISEMENTUMPHRS’ SE IS AWAG A CISN OM THE FERAL APPEALS URT. HENSLEY’S SE IS BEFORE A STATE APPEALS URT AT.OTHER ACTORS: CHAD AND DTY FILLMORE OF FORT WORTH ARE ALSO LISTED AS LAWYERS FOR UMPHRS, AS ARE LAWYERS OM THE PLANO-BASED CHRISTIAN NONPROF LAW FIRM FIRST LIBERTY INSTUTE AND JACKSBORO-BASED FIRM SPILLER & SPILLER.POTENTIAL EFFECTS: IF MCHELL WS EHER SE, ERNMENTAL OFFICIALS WHO ARE MARRIAGE OFFICIANTS WOULD BE ABLE TO WED ONLY OPPOSE-SEX UPL. IF THE UMPHRS SE PROCEEDS, THE QUTN OF SAME-SEX MARRIAGE ULD AGA END UP BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT. IN HIS NCURRG OPN THE CISN OVERTURNG ROE LAST MONTH, CLARENCE THOMAS URGED HIS FELLOW JTIC TO TAKE UP THE ISSUE IF A SE QUTNG THE NSTUTNAL RIGHT TO GAY MARRIAGE PRENTS SELF.RELATED:IF ROE V. WA FALLS, ARE LGBT RIGHTS NEXT? ADVERTISEMENTINSURANCE MANDAT
• TEXAS JUDGE WHO DON'T WANT TO PERFORM GAY MARRIAGE CEREMONI HOP WEB SIGNER'S SUPREME COURT SE HELPS HER FIGHT
• TEXAS JUDGE FIGHTS TO NY WEDDG CEREMONI TO GAY UPL
• TEXAS APPEALS URT TOSS SU OM WA JP WHO REFED TO MARRY GAY UPL
• TED CZ SOFTENS ON SAME-SEX MARRIAGE, SAYS ‘REASONABLE PEOPLE N DISAGREE’TEXAN SAYS ’S TOO LATE TO OVERTURN OBERGEFELL, THOUGH LG WAS WRONG AND MARRIAGE IS ONLY A HETEROSEXUAL UNN HIS VIEW. SEN. TED CZ, R-TEXAS, SPEAKS DURG THE SEND DAY OF CONSERVATIVE POLIL ACTN CONFERENCE (CPAC) AT THE HILTON ANATOLE DALLAS ON FRIDAY, AUG. 5, 2022. (SHAFKAT ANOWAR / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)BY TODD J. GILLMAN5:30 AM ON AUG 8, 2022 CDTWASHINGTON — LIKE MANY NSERVATIV, SEN. TED CZ HAS GONE OUT OF HIS WAY SCE THE SUPREME COURT STCK DOWN ROE VS. WA TO EASE FEARS THAT, WH ABORTN RIGHTS ERASED, GAY MARRIAGE IS THE NEXT TARGET.CZ STILL NOUNC THE 2015 LG THAT EXTEND MARRIAGE EQUALY TO SAME-SEX UPL AS “CLEARLY WRONG.” BUT HE’S SOFTENED HIS STANCE, NCEDG RECENTLY THAT ON THE FN OF MARRIAGE, REASONABLE MDS N DIFFER — A REMARKABLE SHIFT.ADVERTISEMENTJT SEVEN YEARS AGO, CZ PROPOSED A NSTUTNAL AMENDMENT TO FE MARRIAGE AS ONLY ONE THG: THE UNN OF A MAN AND A WOMAN.ADVERTISEMENT“I BELIEVE MARRIAGE IS THE UNN OF ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN. I ALSO REGNIZE THAT REASONABLE PEOPLE N DISAGREE ON THAT AND I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS ROOM FOR A DIVERSY OF VIEWS,” HE SAID AT THE SENATE RECENTLY WHEN PROMPTED TO EXPLA HIS PERSONAL VIEWS.POLIL POTSGET THE LATT POLICS NEWS OM NORTH TEXAS AND BEYOND.EMAIL ADDRSBY SIGNG UP YOU AGREE TO OUR TERMS OF SERVICE AND PRIVACY POLICYSUBMITCONCERN ABOUT THE FUTURE OF GAY MARRIAGE HAS GROWN SCE THE URT STCK DOWN ROE S 6-3 LG DOBBS VS. JACKSON WOMEN’S HEALTH. JTICE CLARENCE THOMAS, HIS NCURRENT OPN, ARGUED THE URT SHOULD APPLY THE SAME REASONG TO OVERTURN S 2015 LG THAT LEGALIZED SAME-SEX MARRIAGE NATNWI.TO AVERT THAT POSSIBILY, THE HOE PASSED THE RPECT FOR MARRIAGE ACT LAST MONTH. THE BILL WOULD REPEAL THE 1996 DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE ACT, WHICH FED MARRIAGE AS A HETEROSEXUAL UNN AND LET EACH STATE CI WHETHER TO REGNIZE OUT-OF-STATE MARRIAG.ADVERTISEMENTTHERE ARE NOW MORE THAN A HALF LN SAME-SEX MARRIAG NATNWI. CZ IS SYMPATHETIC TO THE IA THAT ’S NO LONGER TENABLE FOR THE HIGH URT TO REVERSE URSE. BUT HE OPPOS THE BILL TO DIFY SAME-SEX MARRIAGE, WHICH THE SENATE IS EXPECTED TO VOTE ON LATER THIS MONTH.THE HOE VOTE WAS 267-157, WH SUPPORT OM EVERY DEMOCRAT AND 47 REPUBLINS, CLUDG ONE TEXAN: REP. TONY GONZAL OF SAN ANTON.“THIS IS A PURE POLIL MSAGG BILL. THE SUPREME COURT SAID REPEATEDLY AND UNEQUIVOLLY THAT WAS NOT GOG TO REVIS OBERGEFELL,” CZ TOLD REPORTERS. “THIS IS THE DEMOCRATS PLAYG POLICS AND, ANKLY, TRYG TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT OM BIN’S FAILED RERD OF FLATN, CRIME AND CHAOS OF THE SOUTHERN BORR.”ADVERTISEMENTTHAT’S WHEN HE WAS ASKED HIS PERSONAL VIEWS AND AVERRED, PERHAPS FOR THE FIRST TIME PUBLIC, THAT “REASONABLE PEOPLE N DISAGREE” ON WHETHER MARRIAGE SHOULD BE RERVED ONLY FOR HETEROSEXUALS.ADVERTISEMENTIT’S AN ASTONISHGLY FAR CRY OM HIS RHETORIC DURG THE 2016 PRINTIAL MPAIGN, LNCHED MARCH 2015 AT THE WORLD’S LARGT CHRISTIAN SCHOOL, LIBERTY UNIVERSY, FOUND BY EVANGELIST JERRY FALWELL, WH A VOW TO “UPHOLD THE SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE.”A MONTH LATER, CZ TRODUCED A NSTUTNAL AMENDMENT TO STRIP OM THE STAT THORY TO FE MARRIAGE AS ANYTHG OTHER THAN A HETEROSEXUAL UNN. THE ROLUTN DREW NO -SPONSORS AND DIED WHOUT A HEARG OR VOTE.BUT LAID A MARKER AND HELPED CZ POSN HIMSELF AS THE SOCIAL NSERVATIV’ CHOICE THE PRIMARI.ADVERTISEMENTCZ NOW SAYS THE FN OF MARRIAGE SHOULD BE LEFT TO THE STAT.“THERE WAS A FULL-FLEDGED MOCRATIC BATE UNTIL THE SUPREME COURT SAID NO, SORRY, SILLY PEOPLE, THERE’S ONLY ONE RIGHT ANSWER,” HE SAID RECENTLY ON HIS PODST.ANTHONY MICHAEL KREIS, A NSTUTNAL LAW PROFSOR AT GEIA STATE UNIVERSY WHO STUDI LGBT RIGHTS, SE NO CHANGE OF HEART CZ, GIVEN HIS OPPOSN TO THE RPECT FOR MARRIAGE BILL.“IF SOMEONE TLY WANTED TO EVOLVE ON THE ISSUE, THERE’S A VOTE THAT THEY ULD DO THAT ON,” HE SAID. “IF PH TO SHOVE AND THERE’S AN OPPORTUNY TO OVERTURN OBERGEFELL, WILL TED CZ LE UP TO DO ? ABSOLUTELY.”SEN. TED CZ, R-TEXAS, HIS WIFE HEIDI, AND THEIR DGHTERS CATHERE, 4, LEFT, AND CAROLE, 6, RIGHT, WAVE ON STAGE AFTER HE ANNOUNCED HIS MPAIGN FOR PRINT AT LIBERTY UNIVERSY, LYNCHBURG, VA., ON MARCH 23, 2015. CZ WAS THE FIRST MAJOR NDIDATE TO OFFICIALLY ENTER THE 2016 RACE FOR PRINT.‘DARKT 24 HOURS’CZ WAS IOWA, STUMPG FOR THE WHE HOE, WHEN THE SUPREME COURT HAND DOWN OBERGEFELL VS. HODG JUNE 2015.ADVERTISEMENTTEXAS WAS ONE OF 14 STAT WHERE OBERGEFELL MA BANS ON SAME SEX-MARRIAGE UNENFORCEABLE.CZ ACCED THE HIGH URT OF IMPOSG “MANDATORY GAY MARRIAGE.” HE LLED THE 5-4 LG “THE VERY FN OF LAWLSNS” AND PROPOSED ENDG LIFE TENURE FOR JTIC, CREATG RETENTN ELECTNS EVERY EIGHT YEARS SO VOTERS ULD REMOVE THEM.“TODAY IS SOME OF THE DARKT 24 HOURS OUR NATN’S HISTORY,” HE TOLD FOX NEWS HOST SEAN HANNY.SAME-SEX MARRIAGE WAS ALREADY LEGAL 37 STAT AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA THROUGH URT LGS, LEGISLATN OR REFERENDUMS.ADVERTISEMENTFOR CZ’S PRINTIAL HOP, THE TIMG ULD NOT HAVE BEEN MUCH BETTER. HIS CHANC HGED ON SUPPORT OM EVANGELIL CHRISTIANS, AND HE TURNED THE JUDICIAL SETBACK TO LEMONA.ACCATNS THAT DEMOCRATS AND UNELECTED, UNACUNTABLE JUDG WERE TRYG TO “TEAR DOWN MARRIAGE” BEME A STAPLE HIS STUMP SPEECH.GOD'S ORIGAL DIGN MISTRY POSTED BILLBOARDS SUMMER 2015 TO PROTT SAME-SEX MARRIAGE. THE MISTRY WAS STARTED BY DICK AND BETTY ODGAARD, IOWANS WHOM SEN. TED CZ NAMED "RELIG LIBERTY AMBASSADORS" FOR HIS PRINTIAL MPAIGN.SEN. TED CZ (RIGHT) PRAYS WH DICK AND BETTY ODGAARD AT A "RALLY FOR RELIG LIBERTY" D MO, IOWA, ON AUG. 21, 2015, DURG HIS BID FOR PRINT.ADVERTISEMENTFIVE WEEKS AFTER OBERGEFELL, CZ NAMED BETTY AND RICHARD ODGAARD AS HIS “RELIG LIBERTY AMBASSADORS” AND PART OF HIS IOWA LEARSHIP TEAM.THE ODGAARDS HAD REFED TO LET A GAY UPLE MARRY AT THEIR BISTRO NEAR D MO. ORRED TO PAY THE UPLE $5,000 AND TO STOP DISCRIMATG, THE ODGAARDS CLOSED THEIR BS AND BEGAN ERECTG BILLBOARDS CLARG THAT MARRIAGE JT THE ONE TRADNAL FLAVOR.THE SIGNS READ “MARRIAGE=1+1″ WH A MALE AND FEMALE FIGURE NEXT TO EACH NUMBER AND THE TAGLE, “PLEASE...I NEED YOUR HELP WH THIS! –GOD.”CZ’S VEHEMENCE OFFERED A STARK ALTERNATIVE TO THE ONT-NNER, AND HE BEGAN POKG AT DONALD TMP’S “NEW YORK VALU.”ADVERTISEMENT“THERE ARE MANY, MANY WONRFUL, WONRFUL WORKG MEN AND WOMEN THE STATE OF NEW YORK, BUT EVERYONE UNRSTANDS THAT THE VALU NEW YORK CY ARE SOCIALLY LIBERAL OR PRO-ABORTN OR PRO-GAY MARRIAGE, [AND] FOC AROUND MONEY AND THE MEDIA,” THE TEXAN SAID AT A BATE SOUTH CAROLA.AS THE IOWA UC APPROACHED, CZ SRED THE ENDORSEMENT OF THE NATNAL ORGANIZATN FOR MARRIAGE, WHICH LED EFFORTS ACROSS THE UNTRY FOR YEARS TO BLOCK STATE LAWS REGNIZG MARRIAGE RIGHTS FOR SAME-SEX UPL.ITS PRINT, BRIAN BROWN, SAID THE GROUP WANTED TO ENDORSE SOMEONE WHO’D MA FENSE OF TRADNAL MARRIAGE A “PILLAR” OF HIS POLIL REER. HE LLED CZ “SOMEONE WE N ABSOLUTELY UNT ON TO FIGHT TO RTORE MARRIAGE TO OUR NATN’S LAWS AND FEND THE RELIG LIBERTY OF THE TENS OF LNS OF AMERINS WHO BELIEVE THAT MARRIAGE IS THE UNN OF ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN.”TWO DAYS BEFORE THE UC, AT A MUDDY FAIRGROUNDS IOWA CY, DUCK DYNASTY PATRIARCH PHIL ROBERTSON WAS STUMPG AT CZ’S SI.ADVERTISEMENT“DUCK MANR” ROBERTSON LLED THE OBERGEFELL LG SFUL. HE WARNED OF AN EROSN OF MORALY AMERI. HE LLED SAME-SEX-MARRIAGE “PRAVY” AND “PERVERSN.”CZ DID NOT NTRADICT HIM.IN LIGHT OF ALL THAT, DALE CARPENTER, A NSTUTNAL LAW PROFSOR AT SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSY WHO STUDI LGBT RIGHTS, LLED CZ’S CURRENT STANCE SURPRISG.“FOR THE FIRST TIME, I DID HEAR HIM ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NOW MARRIED SAME-SEX MARRIAG” AND THAT ’S TOO LATE TO UNDO THOSE UNNS, HE SAID. “SCE OBERGEFELL ME DOWN, THE SKY HAS NOT FALLEN. ... HE MAY BE SPEAKG TO PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT SAME-SEX MARRIAGE AND THE ON WHO N ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AT LEAST THERE’S SOME PLSIBLE ARGUMENT THERE. AND THAT’S GOT TO BE THE VAST MAJORY OF AMERINS, CLUDG REPUBLINS.”ADVERTISEMENTJIM OBERGEFELL SPEAKS DURG A PRS NFERENCE MONDAY, JUNE 29, 2015, DOWNTOWN DALLAS. OBERGEFELL, AN OH NATIVE, WAS A PLATIFF THE SUPREME COURT SAME-SEX MARRIAGE SE.(G.J. MCCARTHY / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)RISG PUBLIC SUPPORT
• QUTN ON GAY MARRIAGE HAS ADVOT, EXPERTS ASKG: WHAT DO THIS TEXAS LAWMAKER WANT?GOP STATE REP. JAM WHE’S REQUT FOR OPN ED A STIR ON SOCIAL MEDIA, BAFFLG NSTUTNAL SCHOLARS AND ANGERG GAY RIGHTS ADVOT. WHE IS NNG FOR STATEWI OFFICE.REP. JAM WHE, R-HILLISTER, SPEAKS DURG A PRS NFERENCE HELD BY TEXAS PRISONS AIR-CONDNG ADVOT ON TUDAY, MARCH 12, 2019 AT THE JOHN H REAGAN STATE OFFICE BUILDG AT. WHE, WHO IS NNG THE GOP PRIMARY FOR AGRICULTURE MISSNER, LAST WEEK ASKED THE ATTORNEY GENERAL WHETHER PRIVATE CIZENS NEED TO REGNIZE SAME-SEX MARRIAG.(ASHLEY LANDIS / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)BY SAMI SPARBER AND LREN MCGGHY5:30 AM ON OCT 27, 2021 CDTLISTENAUSTIN — DO PRIVATE CIZENS TEXAS NEED TO REGNIZE GAY MARRIAG?THAT’S THE QUTN REP. JAM WHE, A REPUBLIN LAWMAKER NNG FOR STATEWI OFFICE, ASKED THE ATTORNEY GENERAL LAST WEEK. WHE’S REQUT FOR OPN ED A STIR ON SOCIAL MEDIA, BAFFLG NSTUTNAL SCHOLARS AND ANGERG GAY RIGHTS ADVOT.ADVERTISEMENTMORE THAN SIX YEARS AFTER THE U.S. SUPREME COURT LEGALIZED GAY MARRIAGE NATNWI OBERGEFELL VS. HODG — AND WH FEW OTHER PROTECTNS FOR LGBTQ TEXANS — THEY WONRED, WHAT EXACTLY IS WHE’S POT?ADVERTISEMENTEXPERTS SAID THEY DIDN’T THK WHE’S REQUT WOULD HAVE ANY IMPACT ON CURRENT LAW, CHALKG UP TO POLIL POSTURG AHEAD OF A NSERVATIVE PRIMARY RACE. IT MAY BE PART OF A NSERVATIVE TREND TO LEAVE UNENFORCEABLE LAWS ON THE BOOKS SE THE LGS ARE REVERSED.POLIL POTSGET THE LATT POLICS NEWS OM NORTH TEXAS AND BEYOND.EMAIL ADDRSBY SIGNG UP YOU AGREE TO OUR TERMS OF SERVICE AND PRIVACY POLICYSUBMITTHE 2015 OBERGEFELL CISN MA THE BAN ON SAME SEX-MARRIAGE TEXAS AND 12 OTHER STAT UNENFORCEABLE. BUT LAWMAKERS HAVE NEVER REMOVED THE LANGUAGE, WHICH VOTERS ENSHRED THE TEXAS CONSTUTN 2005. IN AN TERVIEW WH THE DALLAS MORNG NEWS, WHE SAID HE IS NOT ASKG ATTORNEY GENERAL KEN PAXTON TO REJECT THE URT’S LG ON GAY MARRIAGE.“SOME PEOPLE WERE SAYG, ‘OH HE’S ASKG TO SEE IF OBERGEFELL IS APPLIBLE TO TEXAS,’” WHE SAID. “NO, I’M NOT SAYG THAT. IT IS APPLIBLE TO TEXAS — AS APPLI TO ERNMENT OFFICIALS REGNIZG DIFFERENT MARRIAGE NSTCTS.”ADVERTISEMENTHE ADD: “BUT HOW DO APPLY TO PRIVATE CIZENS?”WHE DID NOT HAVE AN EXAMPLE FOR WHAT SUATN HE SEEKS TO ADDRS NOR DID HE SAY A SPECIFIC CINT SPURRED HIM TO ASK THE QUTN AT THIS TIME.ADVERTISEMENTHE MENTNED THE RIGHTS OF CLERGY TO REJECT GAY UNNS — BUT SAID THAT IS NOT THE SOLE REASON HE FILED THIS REQUT. THEN HE WAVED OFF — BUT DID NOT PLETELY REJECT — THAT HE WANTS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO WEIGH ON WHETHER BS N NY SERVIC TO SAME-SEX UPL.ADVERTISEMENT“I DON’T KNOW IF BS ARE PRIVATE CIZENS,” WHE SAID, WHILE ACKNOWLEDGG THEY MAY BE OWNED OR N BY PRIVATE CIZENS. “MAYBE A PRIVATE CIZEN ULD BE SOMEONE WHO SAYS THEY’RE A PREACHER. ... IT ULD BE A CHURCH AN BOARD.”WHE SAID HILLISTER BAPTIST CHURCH, WHERE HE ATTEND UNTIL RECENTLY, CHECKED S BYLAWS AFTER THE SUPREME COURT LG TO MAKE SURE FED MARRIAGE A WAY THAT WAS “NSISTENT WH CHURCH DOCTRE.”LEGAL TO TURN AWAY CTOMERS
• AFTER ROE, ARCHECT OF TEXAS ABORTN LAW SETS SIGHTS ON GAY MARRIAGE AND MOREJONATHAN MCHELL, THE FORMER SOLICOR GENERAL WHO HELPED WRE SENATE BILL 8, HAS OPENED A PRIVATE LAW FIRM TEXAS TO GO AFTER S OF HIGH-URT LGS.JONATHAN MCHELL, SHOWN A URTHOE SKETCH ARGUG BEFORE THE U.S. SUPREME COURT NOVEMBER 2021, IS THE FORMER SOLICOR GENERAL OF TEXAS. HE HAS OPENED UP A PRIVATE PRACTICE AT WH THE GOAL OF DISMANTLG URT LGS HE BELIEV WERE WRONGLY CID.(ART LIEN / ART LIEN)BY LREN MCGGHY5:01 AM ON JUL 3, 2022 CDTLISTENIF JONATHAN MCHELL WERE A IC BOOK CHARACTER, HE WOULD BE DRAWN HOLDG A LAWBOOK ONE HAND AND THE OTHER, A SLEDGEHAMMER.BT KNOWN AS THE ARCHECT BEHD SENATE BILL 8, THE STATE LAW THAT PUTIZ EVERYDAY TEXANS AS ABORTN BOUNTY HUNTERS, MCHELL HAS SPENT YEARS ARGUG THAT THE U.S. SUPREME COURT SHOULD REVERSE S CISN ROE VS. WA. HIS LEGAL THEORI AND URT S HELPED LAY THE GROUNDWORK ONTO WHICH THE LG ME TOPPLG DOWN.ADVERTISEMENTBUT AS THE RT OF THE UNTRY WAS BRACG FOR THE FALL OF ROE, MCHELL WAS ALREADY MOVG ON. SCE OPENG UP A ONE-MAN LEGAL SHOP AT FOUR YEARS AGO, HE HAS JUMPED HEADLONG TO MYRIAD OTHER LAWSUS OVER EVERYTHG OM THE NTRACEPTIVE MANDATE TO AFFIRMATIVE ACTN AND SAME-SEX MARRIAGE.ADVERTISEMENTMCHELL SAYS HIS GOAL IS TO SYSTEMATILLY DISMANTLE S OF LGS HE BELIEV PART OM THE LANGUAGE OF THE U.S. CONSTUTN OR THAT IMPOSE NSTUTNAL RIGHTS WH NO TEXTUAL BASIS. WH THE SUPREME COURT MOVG EVER MORE HIS WAY, THE S HE BRGS MAY BE A BELLWETHER FOR THE DIRECTN OF THE NATN’S LEGAL TABLISHMENT, AND, BY EXTENSN, THE NATN SELF.BREAKG NEWSGET THE LATT BREAKG NEWS OM NORTH TEXAS AND BEYOND.EMAIL ADDRSBY SIGNG UP YOU AGREE TO OUR TERMS OF SERVICE AND PRIVACY POLICYSUBMITIN A RARE TERVIEW, THE FORMER SOLICOR GENERAL OF TEXAS SISTED THAT UNRLYG HIS MISSN IS NOT RELIG BELIEF OR POLIL IOLOGY OR PERSONAL ANIM, BUT AN UNFLCHG NVICTN THAT FERAL URTS MT TERPRET THE CONSTUTN CLOSELY AND NNOT CLARE NEW RIGHTS NOT EXPLICLY AFFORD THAT DOCUMENT.MCHELL SE HIMSELF THE ROLE OF REEMER — NOT STROYER.ADVERTISEMENT“FOR S, THE SUPREME COURT HAS BEEN MAKG UP NSTUTNAL RIGHTS THAT ARE NOWHERE TO BE FOUND THE LANGUAGE OF THE DOCUMENT,” MCHELL, 45, TOLD THE DALLAS MORNG NEWS. “THE CISNS ARE LAWLS, AND THEY NEED TO BE UNRMED AND RISTED AT EVERY TURN UNTIL THE SUPREME COURT SE F TO OVERLE THEM.”BUT WHERE MCHELL SE HIMSELF AS A VOTEE TO THE LE OF LAW, HIS OPPONENTS TECT AN EXTREMIST. REGARD EVEN BY HIS HARSHT CRICS AS AN UNNIABLY SHARP LEGAL MD, THEY FLT HIM FOR, THEIR VIEWS, TENTNALLY DISMISSG PRECENT AND THE REAL-WORLD NSEQUENC OF HIS ACTNS AN EFFORT TO WIPE A NUMBER OF FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS OM THE LAWBOOKS.A SHIFT TO TEXTUALISMWHEN MCHELL THREW HIS SUPPORT BEHD MISSISSIPPI’S 15-WEEK ABORTN BAN, THE SE THAT TOPPLED ROE, HE URGED THE SUPREME COURT NOT TO BE SQUEAMISH ABOUT OTHER LGS MIGHT KNOCK DOWN.ADVERTISEMENTINTERRACIAL MARRIAGE IS PROTECTED UNR FERAL CIVIL RIGHTS LAW EVEN THOUGH ’S NOT SPECIFILLY PRERVED THE CONSTUTN, MCHELL WROTE AN AMIC BRIEF THORED BY CHIGO LAW SCHOOL CHUM ADAM MORTARA. THE SAME ULD NOT BE SAID FOR “THE URT-VENTED RIGHTS TO HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR AND SAME-SEX MARRIAGE,” THEY ARGUED.ADVERTISEMENTOBERGEFELL VS. HODG AND LAWRENCE VS. TEXAS, THE LGS THAT CLARED BANS ON GAY MARRIAGE AND GAY SEX AS UNNSTUTNAL, WERE “AS LAWLS” AS THE ABORTN LGS, THEY WROTE. IF ROE WERE TO BE OVERTURNED, MCHELL AND MORTARA ARGUED, THE URT SHOULD NOT HATE TO CLARE THAT THE OTHER LGS ARE LIKEWISE “HANGG BY A THREAD.”LAST MONTH, CLARENCE THOMAS SAID JT THAT.IN A NCURRG OPN SUPPORTG THE CISN TO OVERTURN ROE, THE NSERVATIVE JTICE LLED LAWRENCE AND OBERGEFELL “MONSTRABLY ERRONEO CISNS” WH NO BASIS THE CONSTUTN OR U.S. HISTORY. HE URGED HIS FELLOW JTIC TO “RENSIR” THEM.ADVERTISEMENTRELATED:IN ABORTN OPN, THOMAS URG SUPREME COURT TO ‘RENSIR’ GAY RIGHTS LGS THE JUDICIAL PHILOSOPHY UNRLYG THE CISN TO OVERTURN ROE IS LLED TEXTUALISM, A THEORY OF TERPRETATN THAT EMPHASIZ A PLA READG OF LEGAL DOCUMENTS BASED ON THEIR TEXT. MCHELL IS A STRONG ADHERENT.“IF A NSTUTNAL RIGHT IS NOT MENTNED THE NSTUTNAL TEXT, DON’T EXIST,” MCHELL SAID A WI-REACHG TERVIEW. “I DON’T RE HOW SIRABLE MAY SEEM AS A MATTER OF POLICY.”HIS RE BELIEF TEXTUALISM IS UNRSRED BY A NCEPT MCHELL ED HIMSELF LLED THE “WR OF ERASURE FALLACY.” COURTS, EVEN THE HIGHT THE LAND, N ONLY STOP CERTA LAWS OM BEG ENFORCED BY CERTA FENDANTS, HIS NCEPT DICTAT; THEY DO NOT HAVE THE POWER TO “ALTER OR ANNUL” THEM.ADVERTISEMENTTHIS MEANS MCHELL VIEWS NEARLY EVERY SUPREME COURT LG AS STRICTLY TEMPORAL — CISNS THAT N BE REVERSED IF THE RIGHT ARGUMENT IS MA ONT OF THE RIGHT SET OF JTIC. AND BY EXTENSN, ANY LAW THAT REMAS ON THE BOOKS, EVEN IF IS EMED UNNSTUTNAL BY THE HIGH URT, N BE REVIVED IF THE URT CHANG S MD.FOR EXAMPLE, TEXAS LEGISLATORS HAVE REFED TO REMOVE THE STATE’S BANS ON SAME-SEX TIMATE RELATNS AND GAY MARRIAGE AND OM THE LAWBOOKS EVEN THOUGH THEY’RE UNENFORCEABLE. AND LAST WEEK, ATTORNEY GENERAL KEN PAXTON ARGUED THAT ABORTNS SHOULD BE ILLEGAL TEXAS IMMEDIATELY BEE THE STATE NEVER REPEALED AN ABORTN BAN ENACTED 1925.JT SIX YEARS AGO, AT THE TIME OF ANTON SLIA’S ATH, THE MAJORY OF SUPREME COURT JTIC ADHERED TO AN TERPRETATN OF THE CONSTUTN THAT LOOKED AT AS A LIVG DOCUMENT AND RELIED MORE ON PRECENT. BUT THE URT HAS SHIFTED AND BEE MORE RECEPTIVE TO TEXTUALIST ARGUMENTS — EVEN LIBERAL JTICE ELENA KAGAN RECENTLY CLARED, “WE’RE ALL TEXTUALISTS NOW.”THIS SHIFT IS ONE BIG REASON MCHELL OPENED UP SHOP TEXAS. THIS IS THE MOMENT, HE BELIEV, TO PURSUE HIS GOAL OF TARGETG CISNS HE NSIRS BASED ON IMPROPER TERPRETATNS OF THE CONSTUTN. AND WH HIS EXPERIENCE THE STATE AND S FAVORABLE TAX LAWS, AT IS THE PLACE TO DO .ADVERTISEMENTTHE ROAD TO TEXASRAISED PENNSYLVANIA, MCHELL ATTEND WHEATON COLLEGE, WHICH BILLS SELF AS PREPARG STUNTS TO “MAKE AN IMPACT FOR CHRIST.” HE WENT ON TO STUDY LAW AT THE UNIVERSY OF CHIGO, WHERE HE GRADUATED WH HIGH HONORS.MORTARA, HIS LAW SCHOOL CLASSMATE, SCRIB HIS LONGTIME IEND AS “EPLY THOUGHTFUL” AND “MORAL,” A MAN LACKG EVEN ONE “UNKD CELL HIS BODY.” HE SISTS MCHELL HAS BEEN HORRIBLY MISCHARACTERIZED AS SOME KD OF A “WTBORO BAPTIST GUY” FIXATED ON TAKG AWAY PEOPLE’S RIGHTS.“HE IS VERY GENTLE,” MORTARA SAID. “HE IS EXTREMELY POLE AND RPECTFUL TO PEOPLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS.”ADVERTISEMENTAT WHEATON, MCHELL MAJORED PUTER SCIENCE, AND IENDS SAY HE APPROACH LAW WH THE SAME LIBERATE FOC ONE MIGHT WHEN TKERG WH A MACHE. THEY THROW AROUND WORDS LIKE “GENI” AND “VISNARY” AND “NERD.” HE IS PUNCTIL, THEY SAY, UNPROMISG WHEN TO L AND NDUCT, AND WH A HEIGHTENED NCERN FOR MORALY AND S OF NDUCT.BY WAY OF EXAMPLE, ONE IEND OFFERED UP THE WAY MCHELL BILLS HIS HOURS. MOST LAWYERS SPL THEIR TIME ON THE CLOCK TO CREMENTS OF SIX MUT. MCHELL BREAKS HIS DOWN EVEN FURTHER TO ENSURE HE’S NOT OVERCHARGG CLIENTS.“HE’S A HAPPY WARRR,” SAID HIRAM SASSER, A LONGTIME IEND OF MCHELL’S AND EXECUTIVE GENERAL UNSEL OF THE NSERVATIVE LEGAL NONPROF FIRST LIBERTY INSTUTE. “HE’S A FORMIDABLE ALLY.”AFTER LAW SCHOOL, MCHELL CLERKED FOR J. MICHAEL LUTTIG AND SLIA. HE WAS THERE WHEN THE JTICE WROTE ONE OF HIS MOST MEMORABLE DISSENTS TO THE 2003 LAWRENCE LG CLARG TEXAS’ BAN ON GAY SEX UNNSTUTNAL.ADVERTISEMENTFROM 2010 TO 2015, MCHELL SERVED AS TEXAS’ CHIEF APPELLATE LAWYER UNR THEN-ATTORNEY GENERAL GREG ABBOTT. HE ARGUED ONT OF THE SUPREME COURT FOUR TIM AND FEND THE STATE’S LAWS AGAST SAME-SEX MARRIAGE AND ABORTN. A MEMBER OF THE NSERVATIVE LEGAL ANIZATN THE FERALIST SOCIETY, HE LATER TGHT LAW AT STANFORD AND THE UNIVERSY OF TEXAS AT AT.THEN-PRINT DONALD TMP NOMATED MCHELL TO HEAD THE ADMISTRATIVE CONFERENCE OF THE UNED STAT, AN AGENCY MEANT TO IMPROVE FERAL LEMAKG AND OTHER PROCS, BUT HE WAS NOT NFIRMED.IN 2018, AS TMP APPOTED HIS SEND OF THREE JTIC TO THE HIGH URT, MCHELL OPENED HIS OWN FIRM AT. IT’S THE FIRST TIME HE’S BEEN PRIVATE PRACTICE.MCHELL HAS THROWN HIMSELF HEADLONG TO THE ABORTN FIGHT TEXAS. HE HELPED DRAFT CY ORDANC THAT SOUGHT TO OUTLAW ABORTN AT THE LOL LEVEL AND HAD A HAND CRAFTG SENATE BILL 8, WHICH EMPOWERS PRIVATE CIZENS TO SUE ANYONE WHO “AIDS OR ABETS” AN ABORTN FOR UP TO $10,000.ADVERTISEMENTTHE BILL, WHICH SENTIALLY BANS ABORTN AFTER ABOUT SIX WEEKS, BEME LAW SEPTEMBER. IT WAS TTED BY THE SUPREME COURT AND ALLOWED TO STAY PLACE.SENATE BILL 8 IS NOW NSIRED MOL LEGISLATN BY OTHER RED STAT THAT MAY E TO PUTIZE THEIR CIZENS TO ENFORCE OTHER NSERVATIVE LAWS. MCHELL’S ROLE CRAFTG THE LEGISLATN TAPULTED HIM TO THE NATNAL SPOTLIGHT.BUT MCHELL HARDLY EVER SPEAKS TO THE MEDIA. HE DON’T APPEAR TO HAVE ANY SOCIAL MEDIA PRENCE. THERE ARE ONLY A HANDFUL OF PHOTOS OF HIM ONLE AND HE WOULD NOT NSENT TO A PORTRA FOR THIS STORY. EVEN WHEN SENATE BILL 8 WAS PASSED TO LAW, HE WASN’T AT THE PUBLIC SIGNG CEREMONY.MCHELL, MARRIED WH CHILDREN, SAYS HE DO NOT HAVE TIME FOR HOBBI AND SE NO NEED TO SEEK THE LIMELIGHT. HIS FIRM DON’T ISSUE NEWS RELEAS WHEN FIL NEW S OR MARKS A W.ADVERTISEMENTTHE PAYOFF THE VICTORY SELF.GAY MARRIAGE SWHILE MCHELL VALU HIS PRIVACY, HIS WORK NOW APPEARS TO BE EVERYWHERE.HE HAS HIS HANDS S OM CALIFORNIA TO NEW YORK VOLVG SUCH DISPARATE NCEPTS AS REDISTRICTG, SUBSIDI FOR BLACK FARMERS AND RELIG LIBERTY. WHILE THERE ARE A HANDFUL OF NSERVATIVE NONPROF LAW FIRMS PURSUG SIAR S, WH WHOM MCHELL AT TIM WORKS TANM, HE SE HIMSELF AS STEPPG TO A VOID WHERE OTHER PRIVATE ATTORNEYS RARELY DARE TO VENTURE.ADVERTISEMENT“THE BIG LAW FIRMS WON’T TOUCH THIS STUFF. SO SOMETIM FEELS AS THOUGH I HAVE THE FIELD TO MYSELF,” MCHELL SAID.AT LEAST TWO OF THE ROUGHLY 50 S HE IS PURSUG VOLVE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE.IN BOTH, MCHELL ARGU THAT ERNMENT EMPLOYE WH THE POWER TO PERFORM MARRIAG TEXAS SHOULD BE ABLE TO RECE THEMSELV OM PERFORMG GAY WEDDGS DUE TO RELIG BELIEFS. ONE OF THE S, WHICH IS AWAG A CISN OM THE FIFTH CIRCU COURT OF APPEALS, PROVIS A PREVIEW OF HOW MCHELL WOULD ARGUE FOR THE REVERSAL OF OBERGEFELL.IN A BRIEF FILED JUNE 2020, MCHELL ARGUED THAT OBERGEFELL IMPROPERLY “SUBORDAT” STATE LAW TO “THE POLICY PREFERENC OF UNELECTED JUDG.”ADVERTISEMENT“THERE IS NO NSTUTNAL RIGHT TO SAME-SEX MARRIAGE,” MCHELL ARGUED ON BEHALF OF HIS CLIENT, A UNTY JUDGE WHO ARGU THAT HIS CHRISTIAN FAH PROHIBS HIM OM MARRYG GAY UPL. MCHELL ADD: “THE FERAL JUDICIARY HAS NO THORY TO REGNIZE OR VENT ‘FUNDAMENTAL’ NSTUTNAL RIGHTS.”RELATED:IF ROE V. WA FALLS, ARE LGBT RIGHTS NEXT? THAT’S WHY THEIR AMIC THE ABORTN SE THAT OVERTURNED ROE WAS PURPOSEFULLY PROVOTIVE — PART TO MAKE MISSISSIPPI’S ARGUMENTS APPEAR MORE MORATE PARISON AND TO GIVE THE HIGH URT THE FORTU TO CLARE THAT THE RIGHTS HAD NO BASIS THE CONSTUTN.“WE WANTED TO SHOW THE JTIC THAT THE ENTIRE EDIFICE OF URT-VENTED RIGHTS SHOULD BE REJECTED, BEE MANY OF THOSE RIGHTS [SUCH AS THE RIGHTS TO NTRACEPTN AND TERRACIAL MARRIAGE] ARE PROTECTED BY OTHER SOURC OF FERAL LAW, SO THERE IS NOTHG TO FEAR OM REPUDIATG THE SUPPOSED NSTUTNAL BASIS FOR THOSE RIGHTS,” HE SAID.ADVERTISEMENTDPE THE S, MCHELL SAID HE IS NOT TRYG TO “DISMANTLE” GAY MARRIAGE.IF STATE LEGISLATUR WANT TO PASS LAWS LEGALIZG , THEY N, HE SAID. BUT UNTIL THE CONSTUTN IS AMEND TO CLU THE RIGHT TO SAME-SEX MARRIAGE, HE ARGU THAT THE SUPREME COURT WRONGLY CID THIS ISSUE AND THE LG IS PLAY.WHEN ASKED ABOUT HIS PERSONAL VIEWS ON THE MATTER, MCHELL SAID HE NSIRS THE POLICY TO BE “A MUCH CLOSER QUTN” THAN WHETHER SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IS A NSTUTNAL RIGHT.“I’M A FORMALIST AND LEGALIST BY ORIENTATN,” HE SAID. “POLICY CISNS ARE FOR THE POLIL BRANCH TO SORT OUT.”ADVERTISEMENTOPPONENTS SAY
• FIFTEEN YEARS AFTER LANDMARK GAY RIGHTS SE, SAME-SEX UPL TEXAS STILL FACE CHALLENG URT
• TEXAS GOP CENSUR US REP. TONY GONZAL OVER BREAKS ON GUN LAWS, GAY MARRIAGE

SIX TEXAS LAWSUS TARGET GAY MARRIAGE, LGBT RIGHTS AFTER THE FALL OF ROE V. WAJONATHAN MCHELL, THE LAWYER WHO HELPED WRE THE ABORTN BOUNTY LAW, IS BEHD SEVERAL S THAT ULD ADVERSELY AFFECT LGBT RIGHTS. THE CY OF DALLAS' PRI FLAG (RIGHT) FLI ALONGSI THE TEXAS AND U.S. FLAGS OUTSI OF CY HALL DOWNTOWN DALLAS, THURSDAY, JUNE 18, 2020 HONOR OF PRI MONTH. TEXAS IS POISED TO BEE A BATTLEGROUND FOR LGBT RIGHTS, AS NO FEWER THAN A HALF DOZEN LAWSUS ON THE ISSUE HAVE BEEN FILED BY THE STATE'S FORMER SOLICOR GENERAL OVER THE ISSUE RECENT YEARS. (TOM FOX/THE DALLAS MORNG NEWS)(TOM FOX / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)BY LREN MCGGHY7:00 AM ON JUL 21, 2022 CDTAUSTIN — IN THE WAKE OF THE TOPPLG OF ROE VS. WA AND WH JTICE CLARENCE THOMAS URGG THE U.S. SUPREME COURT TO REVIS LGS ON GAY SEX AND MARRIAGE, TEXAS IS THE STAGE FOR SEVERAL LAWSUS ALG WH LGBT RIGHTS.RIGHT NOW, A HALF DOZEN S ON EVERYTHG OM SURANCE VERAGE FOR HIV PREVENTN TO EMPLOYMENT DISCRIMATN AND SAME-SEX MARRIAGE ARE WENDG THEIR WAY THROUGH STATE AND FERAL URTS HERE. THEIR OUT ULD RADILLY ALTER RIGHTS FOR LBIAN, GAY, BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENR PEOPLE TEXAS AND ACROSS THE UNTRY.ADVERTISEMENTTHE LAWSUS ALL HAVE ONE THG MON: FORMER TEXAS SOLICOR GENERAL JONATHAN MCHELL.ADVERTISEMENTBT KNOWN AS THE MAN BEHD THE STATE LAW THAT ALLOWS TEXANS TO FILE CIVIL LAWSUS AGAST PEOPLE WHO HELP PREGNANT PEOPLE GET ABORTNS, MCHELL OPENED UP A LAW FIRM AT FOUR YEARS AGO WH THE GOAL OF SYSTEMATILLY DISMANTLG S OF URT LGS HE BELIEV PART OM THE U.S. CONSTUTN.BREAKG NEWSGET THE LATT BREAKG NEWS OM NORTH TEXAS AND BEYOND.EMAIL ADDRSBY SIGNG UP YOU AGREE TO OUR TERMS OF SERVICE AND PRIVACY POLICYSUBMITTHE DALLAS MORNG NEWS IS TRACKG SIX OF HIS S THAT ORIGATED TEXAS AND AL WH LGBT RIGHTS. HERE’S A SUMMARY OF EACH SE.RELATED:AFTER ROE, ARCHECT OF TEXAS ABORTN LAW SETS SIGHTS ON GAY MARRIAGE AND MOREADVERTISEMENTGAY MARRIAGEDIANNE HENSLEY VS. STATE COMMISSN ON JUDICIAL CONDUCT (THIRD COURT OF APPEALS)BRIAN KEH UMPHRS VS. DAVID HALL, ET AL. (NORTHERN DISTRICT OF TEXAS)ADVERTISEMENTSUMMARY: BOTH OF THE S WERE BROUGHT BY TEXAS OFFICIALS WH THE THORY TO PERFORM WEDDGS BUT WHO DO NOT WANT TO OFFER MARRIAG TO SAME-SEX UPL BEE THEY SAY VLAT THEIR RELIG BELIEFS.ADVERTISEMENTONE SE STATE URT, FILED BY MCLENNAN COUNTY JTICE OF THE PEACE DIANNE HENSELY, ARGU THAT MARRIAGE OFFICIANTS WHO ARE ERNMENT OFFICIALS SHOULD BE ABLE TO RECE THEMSELV OM PERFORMG CEREMONI FOR GAY UPL IF THE UPL HAVE A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE OPTN TO BE WED. THE OTHER SE, FERAL URT AND FILED BY JACK COUNTY JUDGE BRIAN KEH UMPHRS, MAK A SIAR ARGUMENT.BUT THE UMPHRS SE GO FURTHER, ARGUG THAT THE U.S. SUPREME COURT ERRED WHEN CLARED GAY MARRIAGE BANS UNNSTUTNAL 2015. IT URG THE URT TO REVIS THAT CISN.“THERE IS NO NSTUTNAL RIGHT TO SAME-SEX MARRIAGE,” THE UMPHRS SE READS. “THE FERAL JUDICIARY HAS NO THORY TO REGNIZE OR VENT ‘FUNDAMENTAL’ NSTUTNAL RIGHTS.”ADVERTISEMENTUMPHRS’ SE IS AWAG A CISN OM THE FERAL APPEALS URT. HENSLEY’S SE IS BEFORE A STATE APPEALS URT AT.OTHER ACTORS: CHAD AND DTY FILLMORE OF FORT WORTH ARE ALSO LISTED AS LAWYERS FOR UMPHRS, AS ARE LAWYERS OM THE PLANO-BASED CHRISTIAN NONPROF LAW FIRM FIRST LIBERTY INSTUTE AND JACKSBORO-BASED FIRM SPILLER & SPILLER.POTENTIAL EFFECTS: IF MCHELL WS EHER SE, ERNMENTAL OFFICIALS WHO ARE MARRIAGE OFFICIANTS WOULD BE ABLE TO WED ONLY OPPOSE-SEX UPL. IF THE UMPHRS SE PROCEEDS, THE QUTN OF SAME-SEX MARRIAGE ULD AGA END UP BEFORE THE SUPREME COURT. IN HIS NCURRG OPN THE CISN OVERTURNG ROE LAST MONTH, CLARENCE THOMAS URGED HIS FELLOW JTIC TO TAKE UP THE ISSUE IF A SE QUTNG THE NSTUTNAL RIGHT TO GAY MARRIAGE PRENTS SELF.RELATED:IF ROE V. WA FALLS, ARE LGBT RIGHTS NEXT? ADVERTISEMENTINSURANCE MANDAT

Acrdg to the Texas judicial missn’s 2019 warng, Hensley referred gay upl who wanted her to pri over their marriage ceremony to other people who would officiate. Hensley’s “scere relig objectns to homosexual behavr and same-sex marriage, ” the petn reads, are nstutnally protected even her role as a judge.

TEXAS JUDGE WHO DON'T WANT TO PERFORM GAY MARRIAGE CEREMONI HOP WEB SIGNER'S SUPREME COURT SE HELPS HER FIGHT

Supreme Court to revis lgs on gay sex and marriage, Texas is the stage for several lawsus alg wh LGBT now, a half dozen s on everythg om surance verage for HIV preventn to employment discrimatn and same-sex marriage are wendg their way through state and feral urts here. Their out uld radilly alter rights for lbian, gay, bisexual and transgenr people Texas and across the lawsus all have one thg mon: former Texas solicor general Jonathan known as the man behd the state law that allows Texans to file civil lawsus agast people who help pregnant people get abortns, Mchell opened up a law firm At four years ago wh the goal of systematilly dismantlg s of urt lgs he believ part om the U.

Related:After Roe, archect of Texas abortn law sets sights on gay marriage and moreGay marriageDianne Hensley vs. (Northern District of Texas)Summary: Both of the s were brought by Texas officials wh the thory to perform weddgs but who do not want to offer marriag to same-sex upl bee they say vlat their relig se state urt, filed by McLennan County Jtice of the Peace Dianne Hensely, argu that marriage officiants who are ernment officials should be able to rece themselv om performg ceremoni for gay upl if the upl have a viable alternative optn to be wed.

TEXAS JUDGE FIGHTS TO NY WEDDG CEREMONI TO GAY UPL

Supreme Court erred when clared gay marriage bans unnstutnal 2015. In his ncurrg opn the cisn overturng Roe last month, Clarence Thomas urged his fellow jtic to take up the issue if a se qutng the nstutnal right to gay marriage prents self.

” The su also targets the Affordable Care Act’s mechanisms for cidg which re private surers mt ver, argug giv the feral agenci and other unelected bodi undue ntrol over cisns that should rema wh su specifilly mentns ntraceptn and the HIV preventn dgs known as PreP, which the platiffs say “facilate and enurage homosexual behavr, prostutn, sexual promiscuy, and traveno dg e. Acrdg to the Texas judicial missn's 2019 warng, Hensley referred gay upl who wanted her to pri over their marriage ceremony to other people who would officiate. June is Pri Month, and acrdg to Franc Jackson (they/them/theirs), ordator at the Texas A&M Universy LGBTQ+ Pri Center, the ocsn is an opportuny to reflect on the history of the gay rights movement and to celebrate the mosaic of cultur at the universy and beyond.

Members of the gay muny along wh their fay and iends gathered at the Legacy of Love Monument after marchg om a rally at the Cathedral of Hope Dallas on June 26, 2015. Earlier the day, the Supreme Court cid to lift the ban on gay marriage. ”Related:Six Texas lawsus target gay marriage, LGBT rights after the fall of Roe v.

TEXAS APPEALS URT TOSS SU OM WA JP WHO REFED TO MARRY GAY UPL

Supreme Court clared gay marriage bans unnstutnal 2015, Texas judicial l were updated to note that officials who n perform marriag “n’t discrimate by performg oppose-sex ceremoni and not same-sex ceremoni. Hensley, who is based Wa, stopped performg marriag after the gay marriage cisn. That se go further, argug the Supreme Court erred s 2015 lg on gay marriage and urgg the urt to revis that cisn.

”Related:After Roe, archect of Texas abortn law sets sights on gay marriage and moreMore StoriThe LattMost Popular on DallasNews.

↑ NPR, "Feral Judge Voids Texas Gay Marriage Ban, " Febary 26, 2014, " accsed Febary 27, 2014. ↑ The Tim‑Piyune, "Arguments gay marriage s om Louisiana and Texas set for January, " October 27, 2014.

TED CZ SOFTENS ON SAME-SEX MARRIAGE, SAYS ‘REASONABLE PEOPLE N DISAGREE’TEXAN SAYS ’S TOO LATE TO OVERTURN OBERGEFELL, THOUGH LG WAS WRONG AND MARRIAGE IS ONLY A HETEROSEXUAL UNN HIS VIEW. SEN. TED CZ, R-TEXAS, SPEAKS DURG THE SEND DAY OF CONSERVATIVE POLIL ACTN CONFERENCE (CPAC) AT THE HILTON ANATOLE DALLAS ON FRIDAY, AUG. 5, 2022. (SHAFKAT ANOWAR / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)BY TODD J. GILLMAN5:30 AM ON AUG 8, 2022 CDTWASHINGTON — LIKE MANY NSERVATIV, SEN. TED CZ HAS GONE OUT OF HIS WAY SCE THE SUPREME COURT STCK DOWN ROE VS. WA TO EASE FEARS THAT, WH ABORTN RIGHTS ERASED, GAY MARRIAGE IS THE NEXT TARGET.CZ STILL NOUNC THE 2015 LG THAT EXTEND MARRIAGE EQUALY TO SAME-SEX UPL AS “CLEARLY WRONG.” BUT HE’S SOFTENED HIS STANCE, NCEDG RECENTLY THAT ON THE FN OF MARRIAGE, REASONABLE MDS N DIFFER — A REMARKABLE SHIFT.ADVERTISEMENTJT SEVEN YEARS AGO, CZ PROPOSED A NSTUTNAL AMENDMENT TO FE MARRIAGE AS ONLY ONE THG: THE UNN OF A MAN AND A WOMAN.ADVERTISEMENT“I BELIEVE MARRIAGE IS THE UNN OF ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN. I ALSO REGNIZE THAT REASONABLE PEOPLE N DISAGREE ON THAT AND I BELIEVE THAT THERE IS ROOM FOR A DIVERSY OF VIEWS,” HE SAID AT THE SENATE RECENTLY WHEN PROMPTED TO EXPLA HIS PERSONAL VIEWS.POLIL POTSGET THE LATT POLICS NEWS OM NORTH TEXAS AND BEYOND.EMAIL ADDRSBY SIGNG UP YOU AGREE TO OUR TERMS OF SERVICE AND PRIVACY POLICYSUBMITCONCERN ABOUT THE FUTURE OF GAY MARRIAGE HAS GROWN SCE THE URT STCK DOWN ROE S 6-3 LG DOBBS VS. JACKSON WOMEN’S HEALTH. JTICE CLARENCE THOMAS, HIS NCURRENT OPN, ARGUED THE URT SHOULD APPLY THE SAME REASONG TO OVERTURN S 2015 LG THAT LEGALIZED SAME-SEX MARRIAGE NATNWI.TO AVERT THAT POSSIBILY, THE HOE PASSED THE RPECT FOR MARRIAGE ACT LAST MONTH. THE BILL WOULD REPEAL THE 1996 DEFENSE OF MARRIAGE ACT, WHICH FED MARRIAGE AS A HETEROSEXUAL UNN AND LET EACH STATE CI WHETHER TO REGNIZE OUT-OF-STATE MARRIAG.ADVERTISEMENTTHERE ARE NOW MORE THAN A HALF LN SAME-SEX MARRIAG NATNWI. CZ IS SYMPATHETIC TO THE IA THAT ’S NO LONGER TENABLE FOR THE HIGH URT TO REVERSE URSE. BUT HE OPPOS THE BILL TO DIFY SAME-SEX MARRIAGE, WHICH THE SENATE IS EXPECTED TO VOTE ON LATER THIS MONTH.THE HOE VOTE WAS 267-157, WH SUPPORT OM EVERY DEMOCRAT AND 47 REPUBLINS, CLUDG ONE TEXAN: REP. TONY GONZAL OF SAN ANTON.“THIS IS A PURE POLIL MSAGG BILL. THE SUPREME COURT SAID REPEATEDLY AND UNEQUIVOLLY THAT WAS NOT GOG TO REVIS OBERGEFELL,” CZ TOLD REPORTERS. “THIS IS THE DEMOCRATS PLAYG POLICS AND, ANKLY, TRYG TO CHANGE THE SUBJECT OM BIN’S FAILED RERD OF FLATN, CRIME AND CHAOS OF THE SOUTHERN BORR.”ADVERTISEMENTTHAT’S WHEN HE WAS ASKED HIS PERSONAL VIEWS AND AVERRED, PERHAPS FOR THE FIRST TIME PUBLIC, THAT “REASONABLE PEOPLE N DISAGREE” ON WHETHER MARRIAGE SHOULD BE RERVED ONLY FOR HETEROSEXUALS.ADVERTISEMENTIT’S AN ASTONISHGLY FAR CRY OM HIS RHETORIC DURG THE 2016 PRINTIAL MPAIGN, LNCHED MARCH 2015 AT THE WORLD’S LARGT CHRISTIAN SCHOOL, LIBERTY UNIVERSY, FOUND BY EVANGELIST JERRY FALWELL, WH A VOW TO “UPHOLD THE SACRAMENT OF MARRIAGE.”A MONTH LATER, CZ TRODUCED A NSTUTNAL AMENDMENT TO STRIP OM THE STAT THORY TO FE MARRIAGE AS ANYTHG OTHER THAN A HETEROSEXUAL UNN. THE ROLUTN DREW NO -SPONSORS AND DIED WHOUT A HEARG OR VOTE.BUT LAID A MARKER AND HELPED CZ POSN HIMSELF AS THE SOCIAL NSERVATIV’ CHOICE THE PRIMARI.ADVERTISEMENTCZ NOW SAYS THE FN OF MARRIAGE SHOULD BE LEFT TO THE STAT.“THERE WAS A FULL-FLEDGED MOCRATIC BATE UNTIL THE SUPREME COURT SAID NO, SORRY, SILLY PEOPLE, THERE’S ONLY ONE RIGHT ANSWER,” HE SAID RECENTLY ON HIS PODST.ANTHONY MICHAEL KREIS, A NSTUTNAL LAW PROFSOR AT GEIA STATE UNIVERSY WHO STUDI LGBT RIGHTS, SE NO CHANGE OF HEART CZ, GIVEN HIS OPPOSN TO THE RPECT FOR MARRIAGE BILL.“IF SOMEONE TLY WANTED TO EVOLVE ON THE ISSUE, THERE’S A VOTE THAT THEY ULD DO THAT ON,” HE SAID. “IF PH TO SHOVE AND THERE’S AN OPPORTUNY TO OVERTURN OBERGEFELL, WILL TED CZ LE UP TO DO ? ABSOLUTELY.”SEN. TED CZ, R-TEXAS, HIS WIFE HEIDI, AND THEIR DGHTERS CATHERE, 4, LEFT, AND CAROLE, 6, RIGHT, WAVE ON STAGE AFTER HE ANNOUNCED HIS MPAIGN FOR PRINT AT LIBERTY UNIVERSY, LYNCHBURG, VA., ON MARCH 23, 2015. CZ WAS THE FIRST MAJOR NDIDATE TO OFFICIALLY ENTER THE 2016 RACE FOR PRINT.‘DARKT 24 HOURS’CZ WAS IOWA, STUMPG FOR THE WHE HOE, WHEN THE SUPREME COURT HAND DOWN OBERGEFELL VS. HODG JUNE 2015.ADVERTISEMENTTEXAS WAS ONE OF 14 STAT WHERE OBERGEFELL MA BANS ON SAME SEX-MARRIAGE UNENFORCEABLE.CZ ACCED THE HIGH URT OF IMPOSG “MANDATORY GAY MARRIAGE.” HE LLED THE 5-4 LG “THE VERY FN OF LAWLSNS” AND PROPOSED ENDG LIFE TENURE FOR JTIC, CREATG RETENTN ELECTNS EVERY EIGHT YEARS SO VOTERS ULD REMOVE THEM.“TODAY IS SOME OF THE DARKT 24 HOURS OUR NATN’S HISTORY,” HE TOLD FOX NEWS HOST SEAN HANNY.SAME-SEX MARRIAGE WAS ALREADY LEGAL 37 STAT AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA THROUGH URT LGS, LEGISLATN OR REFERENDUMS.ADVERTISEMENTFOR CZ’S PRINTIAL HOP, THE TIMG ULD NOT HAVE BEEN MUCH BETTER. HIS CHANC HGED ON SUPPORT OM EVANGELIL CHRISTIANS, AND HE TURNED THE JUDICIAL SETBACK TO LEMONA.ACCATNS THAT DEMOCRATS AND UNELECTED, UNACUNTABLE JUDG WERE TRYG TO “TEAR DOWN MARRIAGE” BEME A STAPLE HIS STUMP SPEECH.GOD'S ORIGAL DIGN MISTRY POSTED BILLBOARDS SUMMER 2015 TO PROTT SAME-SEX MARRIAGE. THE MISTRY WAS STARTED BY DICK AND BETTY ODGAARD, IOWANS WHOM SEN. TED CZ NAMED "RELIG LIBERTY AMBASSADORS" FOR HIS PRINTIAL MPAIGN.SEN. TED CZ (RIGHT) PRAYS WH DICK AND BETTY ODGAARD AT A "RALLY FOR RELIG LIBERTY" D MO, IOWA, ON AUG. 21, 2015, DURG HIS BID FOR PRINT.ADVERTISEMENTFIVE WEEKS AFTER OBERGEFELL, CZ NAMED BETTY AND RICHARD ODGAARD AS HIS “RELIG LIBERTY AMBASSADORS” AND PART OF HIS IOWA LEARSHIP TEAM.THE ODGAARDS HAD REFED TO LET A GAY UPLE MARRY AT THEIR BISTRO NEAR D MO. ORRED TO PAY THE UPLE $5,000 AND TO STOP DISCRIMATG, THE ODGAARDS CLOSED THEIR BS AND BEGAN ERECTG BILLBOARDS CLARG THAT MARRIAGE JT THE ONE TRADNAL FLAVOR.THE SIGNS READ “MARRIAGE=1+1″ WH A MALE AND FEMALE FIGURE NEXT TO EACH NUMBER AND THE TAGLE, “PLEASE...I NEED YOUR HELP WH THIS! –GOD.”CZ’S VEHEMENCE OFFERED A STARK ALTERNATIVE TO THE ONT-NNER, AND HE BEGAN POKG AT DONALD TMP’S “NEW YORK VALU.”ADVERTISEMENT“THERE ARE MANY, MANY WONRFUL, WONRFUL WORKG MEN AND WOMEN THE STATE OF NEW YORK, BUT EVERYONE UNRSTANDS THAT THE VALU NEW YORK CY ARE SOCIALLY LIBERAL OR PRO-ABORTN OR PRO-GAY MARRIAGE, [AND] FOC AROUND MONEY AND THE MEDIA,” THE TEXAN SAID AT A BATE SOUTH CAROLA.AS THE IOWA UC APPROACHED, CZ SRED THE ENDORSEMENT OF THE NATNAL ORGANIZATN FOR MARRIAGE, WHICH LED EFFORTS ACROSS THE UNTRY FOR YEARS TO BLOCK STATE LAWS REGNIZG MARRIAGE RIGHTS FOR SAME-SEX UPL.ITS PRINT, BRIAN BROWN, SAID THE GROUP WANTED TO ENDORSE SOMEONE WHO’D MA FENSE OF TRADNAL MARRIAGE A “PILLAR” OF HIS POLIL REER. HE LLED CZ “SOMEONE WE N ABSOLUTELY UNT ON TO FIGHT TO RTORE MARRIAGE TO OUR NATN’S LAWS AND FEND THE RELIG LIBERTY OF THE TENS OF LNS OF AMERINS WHO BELIEVE THAT MARRIAGE IS THE UNN OF ONE MAN AND ONE WOMAN.”TWO DAYS BEFORE THE UC, AT A MUDDY FAIRGROUNDS IOWA CY, DUCK DYNASTY PATRIARCH PHIL ROBERTSON WAS STUMPG AT CZ’S SI.ADVERTISEMENT“DUCK MANR” ROBERTSON LLED THE OBERGEFELL LG SFUL. HE WARNED OF AN EROSN OF MORALY AMERI. HE LLED SAME-SEX-MARRIAGE “PRAVY” AND “PERVERSN.”CZ DID NOT NTRADICT HIM.IN LIGHT OF ALL THAT, DALE CARPENTER, A NSTUTNAL LAW PROFSOR AT SOUTHERN METHODIST UNIVERSY WHO STUDI LGBT RIGHTS, LLED CZ’S CURRENT STANCE SURPRISG.“FOR THE FIRST TIME, I DID HEAR HIM ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE ARE A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO ARE NOW MARRIED SAME-SEX MARRIAG” AND THAT ’S TOO LATE TO UNDO THOSE UNNS, HE SAID. “SCE OBERGEFELL ME DOWN, THE SKY HAS NOT FALLEN. ... HE MAY BE SPEAKG TO PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT SAME-SEX MARRIAGE AND THE ON WHO N ACKNOWLEDGE THAT AT LEAST THERE’S SOME PLSIBLE ARGUMENT THERE. AND THAT’S GOT TO BE THE VAST MAJORY OF AMERINS, CLUDG REPUBLINS.”ADVERTISEMENTJIM OBERGEFELL SPEAKS DURG A PRS NFERENCE MONDAY, JUNE 29, 2015, DOWNTOWN DALLAS. OBERGEFELL, AN OH NATIVE, WAS A PLATIFF THE SUPREME COURT SAME-SEX MARRIAGE SE.(G.J. MCCARTHY / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)RISG PUBLIC SUPPORT

Wa to ease fears that, wh abortn rights erased, gay marriage is the next still nounc the 2015 lg that extend marriage equaly to same-sex upl as “clearly wrong.

Concern about the future of gay marriage has grown sce the urt stck down Roe s 6-3 lg Dobbs vs. Hodg June was one of 14 stat where Obergefell ma bans on same sex-marriage acced the high urt of imposg “mandatory gay marriage. 21, 2015, durg his bid for weeks after Obergefell, Cz named Betty and Richard Odgaard as his “Relig Liberty Ambassadors” and part of his Iowa learship Odgaards had refed to let a gay uple marry at their bistro near D Mo.

QUTN ON GAY MARRIAGE HAS ADVOT, EXPERTS ASKG: WHAT DO THIS TEXAS LAWMAKER WANT?GOP STATE REP. JAM WHE’S REQUT FOR OPN ED A STIR ON SOCIAL MEDIA, BAFFLG NSTUTNAL SCHOLARS AND ANGERG GAY RIGHTS ADVOT. WHE IS NNG FOR STATEWI OFFICE.REP. JAM WHE, R-HILLISTER, SPEAKS DURG A PRS NFERENCE HELD BY TEXAS PRISONS AIR-CONDNG ADVOT ON TUDAY, MARCH 12, 2019 AT THE JOHN H REAGAN STATE OFFICE BUILDG AT. WHE, WHO IS NNG THE GOP PRIMARY FOR AGRICULTURE MISSNER, LAST WEEK ASKED THE ATTORNEY GENERAL WHETHER PRIVATE CIZENS NEED TO REGNIZE SAME-SEX MARRIAG.(ASHLEY LANDIS / STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER)BY SAMI SPARBER AND LREN MCGGHY5:30 AM ON OCT 27, 2021 CDTLISTENAUSTIN — DO PRIVATE CIZENS TEXAS NEED TO REGNIZE GAY MARRIAG?THAT’S THE QUTN REP. JAM WHE, A REPUBLIN LAWMAKER NNG FOR STATEWI OFFICE, ASKED THE ATTORNEY GENERAL LAST WEEK. WHE’S REQUT FOR OPN ED A STIR ON SOCIAL MEDIA, BAFFLG NSTUTNAL SCHOLARS AND ANGERG GAY RIGHTS ADVOT.ADVERTISEMENTMORE THAN SIX YEARS AFTER THE U.S. SUPREME COURT LEGALIZED GAY MARRIAGE NATNWI OBERGEFELL VS. HODG — AND WH FEW OTHER PROTECTNS FOR LGBTQ TEXANS — THEY WONRED, WHAT EXACTLY IS WHE’S POT?ADVERTISEMENTEXPERTS SAID THEY DIDN’T THK WHE’S REQUT WOULD HAVE ANY IMPACT ON CURRENT LAW, CHALKG UP TO POLIL POSTURG AHEAD OF A NSERVATIVE PRIMARY RACE. IT MAY BE PART OF A NSERVATIVE TREND TO LEAVE UNENFORCEABLE LAWS ON THE BOOKS SE THE LGS ARE REVERSED.POLIL POTSGET THE LATT POLICS NEWS OM NORTH TEXAS AND BEYOND.EMAIL ADDRSBY SIGNG UP YOU AGREE TO OUR TERMS OF SERVICE AND PRIVACY POLICYSUBMITTHE 2015 OBERGEFELL CISN MA THE BAN ON SAME SEX-MARRIAGE TEXAS AND 12 OTHER STAT UNENFORCEABLE. BUT LAWMAKERS HAVE NEVER REMOVED THE LANGUAGE, WHICH VOTERS ENSHRED THE TEXAS CONSTUTN 2005. IN AN TERVIEW WH THE DALLAS MORNG NEWS, WHE SAID HE IS NOT ASKG ATTORNEY GENERAL KEN PAXTON TO REJECT THE URT’S LG ON GAY MARRIAGE.“SOME PEOPLE WERE SAYG, ‘OH HE’S ASKG TO SEE IF OBERGEFELL IS APPLIBLE TO TEXAS,’” WHE SAID. “NO, I’M NOT SAYG THAT. IT IS APPLIBLE TO TEXAS — AS APPLI TO ERNMENT OFFICIALS REGNIZG DIFFERENT MARRIAGE NSTCTS.”ADVERTISEMENTHE ADD: “BUT HOW DO APPLY TO PRIVATE CIZENS?”WHE DID NOT HAVE AN EXAMPLE FOR WHAT SUATN HE SEEKS TO ADDRS NOR DID HE SAY A SPECIFIC CINT SPURRED HIM TO ASK THE QUTN AT THIS TIME.ADVERTISEMENTHE MENTNED THE RIGHTS OF CLERGY TO REJECT GAY UNNS — BUT SAID THAT IS NOT THE SOLE REASON HE FILED THIS REQUT. THEN HE WAVED OFF — BUT DID NOT PLETELY REJECT — THAT HE WANTS THE ATTORNEY GENERAL TO WEIGH ON WHETHER BS N NY SERVIC TO SAME-SEX UPL.ADVERTISEMENT“I DON’T KNOW IF BS ARE PRIVATE CIZENS,” WHE SAID, WHILE ACKNOWLEDGG THEY MAY BE OWNED OR N BY PRIVATE CIZENS. “MAYBE A PRIVATE CIZEN ULD BE SOMEONE WHO SAYS THEY’RE A PREACHER. ... IT ULD BE A CHURCH AN BOARD.”WHE SAID HILLISTER BAPTIST CHURCH, WHERE HE ATTEND UNTIL RECENTLY, CHECKED S BYLAWS AFTER THE SUPREME COURT LG TO MAKE SURE FED MARRIAGE A WAY THAT WAS “NSISTENT WH CHURCH DOCTRE.”LEGAL TO TURN AWAY CTOMERS

”“There are many, many wonrful, wonrful workg men and women the state of New York, but everyone unrstands that the valu New York Cy are socially liberal or pro-abortn or pro-gay marriage, [and] foc around money and the media, ” the Texan said at a bate South the Iowa uc approached, Cz sred the endorsement of the Natnal Organizatn for Marriage, which led efforts across the untry for years to block state laws regnizg marriage rights for same-sex print, Brian Brown, said the group wanted to endorse someone who’d ma fense of tradnal marriage a “pillar” of his polil reer. “I don’t know that there has been a public policy issue on which views have changed more dramatilly than the issue of gay marriage, ” Cz said on his podst.

”The Dobbs lg put h attentn on gay marriage bee Obergefell and Roe are the same fay of s volvg privacy rights.

“You’ve got a ton of people who have entered to gay marriag, and would be more than a ltle chaotic for the urt to do somethg that somehow dispted those marriag that have been entered to acrdance wh the law. She sought the urt’s judgment even though she had not been approached to sign a webse for a gay uple. Xavier Becerra sce payg for preventn servic like PrEP enurag homosexual behavr, which his clients reject as addn to queer patients, straight people e PrEP dgs as well.

AFTER ROE, ARCHECT OF TEXAS ABORTN LAW SETS SIGHTS ON GAY MARRIAGE AND MOREJONATHAN MCHELL, THE FORMER SOLICOR GENERAL WHO HELPED WRE SENATE BILL 8, HAS OPENED A PRIVATE LAW FIRM TEXAS TO GO AFTER S OF HIGH-URT LGS.JONATHAN MCHELL, SHOWN A URTHOE SKETCH ARGUG BEFORE THE U.S. SUPREME COURT NOVEMBER 2021, IS THE FORMER SOLICOR GENERAL OF TEXAS. HE HAS OPENED UP A PRIVATE PRACTICE AT WH THE GOAL OF DISMANTLG URT LGS HE BELIEV WERE WRONGLY CID.(ART LIEN / ART LIEN)BY LREN MCGGHY5:01 AM ON JUL 3, 2022 CDTLISTENIF JONATHAN MCHELL WERE A IC BOOK CHARACTER, HE WOULD BE DRAWN HOLDG A LAWBOOK ONE HAND AND THE OTHER, A SLEDGEHAMMER.BT KNOWN AS THE ARCHECT BEHD SENATE BILL 8, THE STATE LAW THAT PUTIZ EVERYDAY TEXANS AS ABORTN BOUNTY HUNTERS, MCHELL HAS SPENT YEARS ARGUG THAT THE U.S. SUPREME COURT SHOULD REVERSE S CISN ROE VS. WA. HIS LEGAL THEORI AND URT S HELPED LAY THE GROUNDWORK ONTO WHICH THE LG ME TOPPLG DOWN.ADVERTISEMENTBUT AS THE RT OF THE UNTRY WAS BRACG FOR THE FALL OF ROE, MCHELL WAS ALREADY MOVG ON. SCE OPENG UP A ONE-MAN LEGAL SHOP AT FOUR YEARS AGO, HE HAS JUMPED HEADLONG TO MYRIAD OTHER LAWSUS OVER EVERYTHG OM THE NTRACEPTIVE MANDATE TO AFFIRMATIVE ACTN AND SAME-SEX MARRIAGE.ADVERTISEMENTMCHELL SAYS HIS GOAL IS TO SYSTEMATILLY DISMANTLE S OF LGS HE BELIEV PART OM THE LANGUAGE OF THE U.S. CONSTUTN OR THAT IMPOSE NSTUTNAL RIGHTS WH NO TEXTUAL BASIS. WH THE SUPREME COURT MOVG EVER MORE HIS WAY, THE S HE BRGS MAY BE A BELLWETHER FOR THE DIRECTN OF THE NATN’S LEGAL TABLISHMENT, AND, BY EXTENSN, THE NATN SELF.BREAKG NEWSGET THE LATT BREAKG NEWS OM NORTH TEXAS AND BEYOND.EMAIL ADDRSBY SIGNG UP YOU AGREE TO OUR TERMS OF SERVICE AND PRIVACY POLICYSUBMITIN A RARE TERVIEW, THE FORMER SOLICOR GENERAL OF TEXAS SISTED THAT UNRLYG HIS MISSN IS NOT RELIG BELIEF OR POLIL IOLOGY OR PERSONAL ANIM, BUT AN UNFLCHG NVICTN THAT FERAL URTS MT TERPRET THE CONSTUTN CLOSELY AND NNOT CLARE NEW RIGHTS NOT EXPLICLY AFFORD THAT DOCUMENT.MCHELL SE HIMSELF THE ROLE OF REEMER — NOT STROYER.ADVERTISEMENT“FOR S, THE SUPREME COURT HAS BEEN MAKG UP NSTUTNAL RIGHTS THAT ARE NOWHERE TO BE FOUND THE LANGUAGE OF THE DOCUMENT,” MCHELL, 45, TOLD THE DALLAS MORNG NEWS. “THE CISNS ARE LAWLS, AND THEY NEED TO BE UNRMED AND RISTED AT EVERY TURN UNTIL THE SUPREME COURT SE F TO OVERLE THEM.”BUT WHERE MCHELL SE HIMSELF AS A VOTEE TO THE LE OF LAW, HIS OPPONENTS TECT AN EXTREMIST. REGARD EVEN BY HIS HARSHT CRICS AS AN UNNIABLY SHARP LEGAL MD, THEY FLT HIM FOR, THEIR VIEWS, TENTNALLY DISMISSG PRECENT AND THE REAL-WORLD NSEQUENC OF HIS ACTNS AN EFFORT TO WIPE A NUMBER OF FUNDAMENTAL RIGHTS OM THE LAWBOOKS.A SHIFT TO TEXTUALISMWHEN MCHELL THREW HIS SUPPORT BEHD MISSISSIPPI’S 15-WEEK ABORTN BAN, THE SE THAT TOPPLED ROE, HE URGED THE SUPREME COURT NOT TO BE SQUEAMISH ABOUT OTHER LGS MIGHT KNOCK DOWN.ADVERTISEMENTINTERRACIAL MARRIAGE IS PROTECTED UNR FERAL CIVIL RIGHTS LAW EVEN THOUGH ’S NOT SPECIFILLY PRERVED THE CONSTUTN, MCHELL WROTE AN AMIC BRIEF THORED BY CHIGO LAW SCHOOL CHUM ADAM MORTARA. THE SAME ULD NOT BE SAID FOR “THE URT-VENTED RIGHTS TO HOMOSEXUAL BEHAVR AND SAME-SEX MARRIAGE,” THEY ARGUED.ADVERTISEMENTOBERGEFELL VS. HODG AND LAWRENCE VS. TEXAS, THE LGS THAT CLARED BANS ON GAY MARRIAGE AND GAY SEX AS UNNSTUTNAL, WERE “AS LAWLS” AS THE ABORTN LGS, THEY WROTE. IF ROE WERE TO BE OVERTURNED, MCHELL AND MORTARA ARGUED, THE URT SHOULD NOT HATE TO CLARE THAT THE OTHER LGS ARE LIKEWISE “HANGG BY A THREAD.”LAST MONTH, CLARENCE THOMAS SAID JT THAT.IN A NCURRG OPN SUPPORTG THE CISN TO OVERTURN ROE, THE NSERVATIVE JTICE LLED LAWRENCE AND OBERGEFELL “MONSTRABLY ERRONEO CISNS” WH NO BASIS THE CONSTUTN OR U.S. HISTORY. HE URGED HIS FELLOW JTIC TO “RENSIR” THEM.ADVERTISEMENTRELATED:IN ABORTN OPN, THOMAS URG SUPREME COURT TO ‘RENSIR’ GAY RIGHTS LGS THE JUDICIAL PHILOSOPHY UNRLYG THE CISN TO OVERTURN ROE IS LLED TEXTUALISM, A THEORY OF TERPRETATN THAT EMPHASIZ A PLA READG OF LEGAL DOCUMENTS BASED ON THEIR TEXT. MCHELL IS A STRONG ADHERENT.“IF A NSTUTNAL RIGHT IS NOT MENTNED THE NSTUTNAL TEXT, DON’T EXIST,” MCHELL SAID A WI-REACHG TERVIEW. “I DON’T RE HOW SIRABLE MAY SEEM AS A MATTER OF POLICY.”HIS RE BELIEF TEXTUALISM IS UNRSRED BY A NCEPT MCHELL ED HIMSELF LLED THE “WR OF ERASURE FALLACY.” COURTS, EVEN THE HIGHT THE LAND, N ONLY STOP CERTA LAWS OM BEG ENFORCED BY CERTA FENDANTS, HIS NCEPT DICTAT; THEY DO NOT HAVE THE POWER TO “ALTER OR ANNUL” THEM.ADVERTISEMENTTHIS MEANS MCHELL VIEWS NEARLY EVERY SUPREME COURT LG AS STRICTLY TEMPORAL — CISNS THAT N BE REVERSED IF THE RIGHT ARGUMENT IS MA ONT OF THE RIGHT SET OF JTIC. AND BY EXTENSN, ANY LAW THAT REMAS ON THE BOOKS, EVEN IF IS EMED UNNSTUTNAL BY THE HIGH URT, N BE REVIVED IF THE URT CHANG S MD.FOR EXAMPLE, TEXAS LEGISLATORS HAVE REFED TO REMOVE THE STATE’S BANS ON SAME-SEX TIMATE RELATNS AND GAY MARRIAGE AND OM THE LAWBOOKS EVEN THOUGH THEY’RE UNENFORCEABLE. AND LAST WEEK, ATTORNEY GENERAL KEN PAXTON ARGUED THAT ABORTNS SHOULD BE ILLEGAL TEXAS IMMEDIATELY BEE THE STATE NEVER REPEALED AN ABORTN BAN ENACTED 1925.JT SIX YEARS AGO, AT THE TIME OF ANTON SLIA’S ATH, THE MAJORY OF SUPREME COURT JTIC ADHERED TO AN TERPRETATN OF THE CONSTUTN THAT LOOKED AT AS A LIVG DOCUMENT AND RELIED MORE ON PRECENT. BUT THE URT HAS SHIFTED AND BEE MORE RECEPTIVE TO TEXTUALIST ARGUMENTS — EVEN LIBERAL JTICE ELENA KAGAN RECENTLY CLARED, “WE’RE ALL TEXTUALISTS NOW.”THIS SHIFT IS ONE BIG REASON MCHELL OPENED UP SHOP TEXAS. THIS IS THE MOMENT, HE BELIEV, TO PURSUE HIS GOAL OF TARGETG CISNS HE NSIRS BASED ON IMPROPER TERPRETATNS OF THE CONSTUTN. AND WH HIS EXPERIENCE THE STATE AND S FAVORABLE TAX LAWS, AT IS THE PLACE TO DO .ADVERTISEMENTTHE ROAD TO TEXASRAISED PENNSYLVANIA, MCHELL ATTEND WHEATON COLLEGE, WHICH BILLS SELF AS PREPARG STUNTS TO “MAKE AN IMPACT FOR CHRIST.” HE WENT ON TO STUDY LAW AT THE UNIVERSY OF CHIGO, WHERE HE GRADUATED WH HIGH HONORS.MORTARA, HIS LAW SCHOOL CLASSMATE, SCRIB HIS LONGTIME IEND AS “EPLY THOUGHTFUL” AND “MORAL,” A MAN LACKG EVEN ONE “UNKD CELL HIS BODY.” HE SISTS MCHELL HAS BEEN HORRIBLY MISCHARACTERIZED AS SOME KD OF A “WTBORO BAPTIST GUY” FIXATED ON TAKG AWAY PEOPLE’S RIGHTS.“HE IS VERY GENTLE,” MORTARA SAID. “HE IS EXTREMELY POLE AND RPECTFUL TO PEOPLE OF ALL BACKGROUNDS.”ADVERTISEMENTAT WHEATON, MCHELL MAJORED PUTER SCIENCE, AND IENDS SAY HE APPROACH LAW WH THE SAME LIBERATE FOC ONE MIGHT WHEN TKERG WH A MACHE. THEY THROW AROUND WORDS LIKE “GENI” AND “VISNARY” AND “NERD.” HE IS PUNCTIL, THEY SAY, UNPROMISG WHEN TO L AND NDUCT, AND WH A HEIGHTENED NCERN FOR MORALY AND S OF NDUCT.BY WAY OF EXAMPLE, ONE IEND OFFERED UP THE WAY MCHELL BILLS HIS HOURS. MOST LAWYERS SPL THEIR TIME ON THE CLOCK TO CREMENTS OF SIX MUT. MCHELL BREAKS HIS DOWN EVEN FURTHER TO ENSURE HE’S NOT OVERCHARGG CLIENTS.“HE’S A HAPPY WARRR,” SAID HIRAM SASSER, A LONGTIME IEND OF MCHELL’S AND EXECUTIVE GENERAL UNSEL OF THE NSERVATIVE LEGAL NONPROF FIRST LIBERTY INSTUTE. “HE’S A FORMIDABLE ALLY.”AFTER LAW SCHOOL, MCHELL CLERKED FOR J. MICHAEL LUTTIG AND SLIA. HE WAS THERE WHEN THE JTICE WROTE ONE OF HIS MOST MEMORABLE DISSENTS TO THE 2003 LAWRENCE LG CLARG TEXAS’ BAN ON GAY SEX UNNSTUTNAL.ADVERTISEMENTFROM 2010 TO 2015, MCHELL SERVED AS TEXAS’ CHIEF APPELLATE LAWYER UNR THEN-ATTORNEY GENERAL GREG ABBOTT. HE ARGUED ONT OF THE SUPREME COURT FOUR TIM AND FEND THE STATE’S LAWS AGAST SAME-SEX MARRIAGE AND ABORTN. A MEMBER OF THE NSERVATIVE LEGAL ANIZATN THE FERALIST SOCIETY, HE LATER TGHT LAW AT STANFORD AND THE UNIVERSY OF TEXAS AT AT.THEN-PRINT DONALD TMP NOMATED MCHELL TO HEAD THE ADMISTRATIVE CONFERENCE OF THE UNED STAT, AN AGENCY MEANT TO IMPROVE FERAL LEMAKG AND OTHER PROCS, BUT HE WAS NOT NFIRMED.IN 2018, AS TMP APPOTED HIS SEND OF THREE JTIC TO THE HIGH URT, MCHELL OPENED HIS OWN FIRM AT. IT’S THE FIRST TIME HE’S BEEN PRIVATE PRACTICE.MCHELL HAS THROWN HIMSELF HEADLONG TO THE ABORTN FIGHT TEXAS. HE HELPED DRAFT CY ORDANC THAT SOUGHT TO OUTLAW ABORTN AT THE LOL LEVEL AND HAD A HAND CRAFTG SENATE BILL 8, WHICH EMPOWERS PRIVATE CIZENS TO SUE ANYONE WHO “AIDS OR ABETS” AN ABORTN FOR UP TO $10,000.ADVERTISEMENTTHE BILL, WHICH SENTIALLY BANS ABORTN AFTER ABOUT SIX WEEKS, BEME LAW SEPTEMBER. IT WAS TTED BY THE SUPREME COURT AND ALLOWED TO STAY PLACE.SENATE BILL 8 IS NOW NSIRED MOL LEGISLATN BY OTHER RED STAT THAT MAY E TO PUTIZE THEIR CIZENS TO ENFORCE OTHER NSERVATIVE LAWS. MCHELL’S ROLE CRAFTG THE LEGISLATN TAPULTED HIM TO THE NATNAL SPOTLIGHT.BUT MCHELL HARDLY EVER SPEAKS TO THE MEDIA. HE DON’T APPEAR TO HAVE ANY SOCIAL MEDIA PRENCE. THERE ARE ONLY A HANDFUL OF PHOTOS OF HIM ONLE AND HE WOULD NOT NSENT TO A PORTRA FOR THIS STORY. EVEN WHEN SENATE BILL 8 WAS PASSED TO LAW, HE WASN’T AT THE PUBLIC SIGNG CEREMONY.MCHELL, MARRIED WH CHILDREN, SAYS HE DO NOT HAVE TIME FOR HOBBI AND SE NO NEED TO SEEK THE LIMELIGHT. HIS FIRM DON’T ISSUE NEWS RELEAS WHEN FIL NEW S OR MARKS A W.ADVERTISEMENTTHE PAYOFF THE VICTORY SELF.GAY MARRIAGE SWHILE MCHELL VALU HIS PRIVACY, HIS WORK NOW APPEARS TO BE EVERYWHERE.HE HAS HIS HANDS S OM CALIFORNIA TO NEW YORK VOLVG SUCH DISPARATE NCEPTS AS REDISTRICTG, SUBSIDI FOR BLACK FARMERS AND RELIG LIBERTY. WHILE THERE ARE A HANDFUL OF NSERVATIVE NONPROF LAW FIRMS PURSUG SIAR S, WH WHOM MCHELL AT TIM WORKS TANM, HE SE HIMSELF AS STEPPG TO A VOID WHERE OTHER PRIVATE ATTORNEYS RARELY DARE TO VENTURE.ADVERTISEMENT“THE BIG LAW FIRMS WON’T TOUCH THIS STUFF. SO SOMETIM FEELS AS THOUGH I HAVE THE FIELD TO MYSELF,” MCHELL SAID.AT LEAST TWO OF THE ROUGHLY 50 S HE IS PURSUG VOLVE SAME-SEX MARRIAGE.IN BOTH, MCHELL ARGU THAT ERNMENT EMPLOYE WH THE POWER TO PERFORM MARRIAG TEXAS SHOULD BE ABLE TO RECE THEMSELV OM PERFORMG GAY WEDDGS DUE TO RELIG BELIEFS. ONE OF THE S, WHICH IS AWAG A CISN OM THE FIFTH CIRCU COURT OF APPEALS, PROVIS A PREVIEW OF HOW MCHELL WOULD ARGUE FOR THE REVERSAL OF OBERGEFELL.IN A BRIEF FILED JUNE 2020, MCHELL ARGUED THAT OBERGEFELL IMPROPERLY “SUBORDAT” STATE LAW TO “THE POLICY PREFERENC OF UNELECTED JUDG.”ADVERTISEMENT“THERE IS NO NSTUTNAL RIGHT TO SAME-SEX MARRIAGE,” MCHELL ARGUED ON BEHALF OF HIS CLIENT, A UNTY JUDGE WHO ARGU THAT HIS CHRISTIAN FAH PROHIBS HIM OM MARRYG GAY UPL. MCHELL ADD: “THE FERAL JUDICIARY HAS NO THORY TO REGNIZE OR VENT ‘FUNDAMENTAL’ NSTUTNAL RIGHTS.”RELATED:IF ROE V. WA FALLS, ARE LGBT RIGHTS NEXT? THAT’S WHY THEIR AMIC THE ABORTN SE THAT OVERTURNED ROE WAS PURPOSEFULLY PROVOTIVE — PART TO MAKE MISSISSIPPI’S ARGUMENTS APPEAR MORE MORATE PARISON AND TO GIVE THE HIGH URT THE FORTU TO CLARE THAT THE RIGHTS HAD NO BASIS THE CONSTUTN.“WE WANTED TO SHOW THE JTIC THAT THE ENTIRE EDIFICE OF URT-VENTED RIGHTS SHOULD BE REJECTED, BEE MANY OF THOSE RIGHTS [SUCH AS THE RIGHTS TO NTRACEPTN AND TERRACIAL MARRIAGE] ARE PROTECTED BY OTHER SOURC OF FERAL LAW, SO THERE IS NOTHG TO FEAR OM REPUDIATG THE SUPPOSED NSTUTNAL BASIS FOR THOSE RIGHTS,” HE SAID.ADVERTISEMENTDPE THE S, MCHELL SAID HE IS NOT TRYG TO “DISMANTLE” GAY MARRIAGE.IF STATE LEGISLATUR WANT TO PASS LAWS LEGALIZG , THEY N, HE SAID. BUT UNTIL THE CONSTUTN IS AMEND TO CLU THE RIGHT TO SAME-SEX MARRIAGE, HE ARGU THAT THE SUPREME COURT WRONGLY CID THIS ISSUE AND THE LG IS PLAY.WHEN ASKED ABOUT HIS PERSONAL VIEWS ON THE MATTER, MCHELL SAID HE NSIRS THE POLICY TO BE “A MUCH CLOSER QUTN” THAN WHETHER SAME-SEX MARRIAGE IS A NSTUTNAL RIGHT.“I’M A FORMALIST AND LEGALIST BY ORIENTATN,” HE SAID. “POLICY CISNS ARE FOR THE POLIL BRANCH TO SORT OUT.”ADVERTISEMENTOPPONENTS SAY

AUSTIN — Do private cizens Texas need to regnize gay marriag? Whe’s requt for opn ed a stir on social media, bafflg nstutnal scholars and angerg gay rights than six years after the U.

Supreme Court legalized gay marriage natnwi Obergefell vs.

FIFTEEN YEARS AFTER LANDMARK GAY RIGHTS SE, SAME-SEX UPL TEXAS STILL FACE CHALLENG URT

In an terview wh The Dallas Morng News, Whe said he is not askg Attorney General Ken Paxton to reject the urt’s lg on gay marriage.

”Whe did not have an example for what suatn he seeks to addrs nor did he say a specific cint spurred him to ask the qutn at this mentned the rights of clergy to reject gay unns — but said that is not the sole reason he filed this requt. In Louisiana, for example, law enforcement officers arrted gay men unr the lor of that state’s ban on gay sexual ntact 2013 and 2015. ”Paxton, a Republin opposed to expandg gay rights, is up for reelectn next year.

“If he is sayg that private cizens nnot regnize same-sex marriag, then that is clearly a vlatn of the First Amendment, ” Carpenter murred when asked whether he wants Paxton to say Texans are banned om regnizg gay unns.

TEXAS GOP CENSUR US REP. TONY GONZAL OVER BREAKS ON GUN LAWS, GAY MARRIAGE

As for his personal beliefs, Whe said he supports the “one man, one woman” fn of marriage but add that do not mean he has “had bad experienc” wh gay upl.

Speakg on his podst, Verdict Wh Ted Cz, the Republin, 52, said the 2015 se that legalized gay marriage the U. We saw stat before Obergefell, some stat were movg to allow gay marriage, other stat were movg to allow civil partnerships. The same uld not be said for “the urt-vented rights to homosexual behavr and same-sex marriage, ” they argued.

Texas, the lgs that clared bans on gay marriage and gay sex as unnstutnal, were “as lawls” as the abortn lgs, they wrote.