Jindal’s Marriage And Conscience Order To Be Challenged In Court

Some people support same sex marriage. Some people do not support same sex marriage. The issue is whether or not your position on same sex marriage allows you a business owner to refuse services based upon your position on the issue.

In the previous session of the Louisiana Legislature lawmakers did not find that such legislation was needed so it was not passed. Governor Bobby Jindal believes that people in business do have such a right so he issued an executive order, the Marriage and Conscience Order. That executive order is now being challenged in court.

The Louisiana ACLU and six other individuals have been named as plantiffs in a lawsuit challenging this executive order. Louisiana ACLU Executive Director Marjorie Esman explained in a story published by the Louisiana Radio Network their reasoning for filing the lawsuit.

A governor is not permitted, under our system of laws in Louisiana, to create substantive rights.  So, when the governor did that, he violated the Louisiana Constitution which, of course, he is sworn to uphold.

I am not a legal scholar but even I can see that's what the Governor did. When the order was issued most pundits suggested that the order would last only as long as the first court challenge. Frankly, I am surprised the ACLU waited this long.

The Governor's office did issue a statement in regard to this lawsuit.

This Executive Order protects religious liberty. The ACLU used to defend civil liberties, now it appears they attack them. The Left likes to pick and choose which liberties they support at any given time, and it seems to me that religious liberty has fallen out of favor with them.

 

Well, I’m not going to be swayed by the latest opinion poll or left wing lawsuit. Religious liberty is fundamental to our freedom as Americans and I will not back down from defending it.

Here is the part of this whole thing that should infuriate you as a citizen of Louisiana. The same sex marriage question aside. A governor's executive order is only valid while the governor that issued it is in office. Mr. Jindal will be leaving the Governor's office in approximately six months.

So we, the citizens of a cash strapped state, are going to have to pay legal bills on a case that most legal scholars suggest has no defense.  If we just wait six months it goes away anyway and we don't have to spend any money.