Herger Strongly Opposes State Court's ‘Misguided' Decision on Marriage

Press Release

Congressman Wally Herger today issued the following statement about the California Supreme Court's decision overturning a state law that defined marriage in California as between one man and one woman:

"Yesterday's ruling by a one-vote majority of the California Supreme Court dealt a serious blow to the principles of representative government. Justice Corrigan put it well in her dissenting opinion when she noted, ‘This court can overrule a vote of the people only if the Constitution compels us to do so. Here, the Constitution does not. Therefore, I must dissent.'

"In 2000, an overwhelming majority of Californians approved Proposition 22 to define marriage as the union of one man and one woman. Yet in a blatant display of judicial activism, four unelected judges chose to substitute their own views for those of more than four million California voters and undermine the institution of marriage. Because California is the most populous state in the country, this ruling will have a major impact on the national debate over marriage laws, and it could affect future cases challenging the federal Defense of Marriage Act.

"Fortunately, Californians will have the opportunity to have their voices heard once again this November, by voting on an amendment to the state constitution that would overturn this misguided decision. For countless generations, in nations around the world, marriage has been understood to be a relationship between a man and a woman. I continue to support a federal constitutional amendment that would protect marriage in the United States once and for all."

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