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Iowa Governor: "We'll Do Whatever It Takes to Protect Marriage"

By John Connolly

DES MOINES, January 23, 2008 (LifeSiteNews.com) - Iowa Governor Chet Culver has pledged to stop gay "marriage" coming to his state should the Iowa Supreme Court uphold a lower court decision that struck down Iowa's ban on gay "marriage" in August.

Culver, speaking on January 18, said he did not want to take any action before the courts make their rulings. 

"We'll do whatever it takes to protect marriage between a man and a woman," he said. "I think we have to let the judicial branch work through these cases and as a former government teacher and as governor I have a lot of respect for the judicial process. We shouldn't tamper with it. Let them do their work and then we can respond and react if we need to."

Culver warned supporters of traditional marriage to not overreact to another court ruling that said a lesbian has the right to seek custody and visitation rights for a child she adopted with her partner after their separation. Though the ruling may be an indication that the Iowa Supreme Court will uphold the ruling on gay "marriage," Culver warned against jumping to conclusions. He said that all sorts of options are "on the table," but lawmakers need to wait for the court's ruling.

"We'll just have to wait and see," Culver said. He also said that the legislature has the ability to push through a constitutional amendment should the courts uphold the August 2007 decision. If the court delays its ruling, Culver could call a special legislative session to deal with the amendment

Protesters rallied at Iowa's capitol on January 16, asking politicians to push through an amendment that would reverse the effects of the court decision that essentially legalized gay marriage in the state. Despite the turnout, state representatives were lethargic when questioned about the chances of marriage legislation being passed.

Gary Worthan, representative from Storm Lake, and Steve Kettering, state senator from Lake View, were interested to see the demonstration, and both told the Iowa Pilot-Tribune that they sympathize with those who defend traditional marriage. But both said they expect party leadership to block the issue from coming to a vote in this session.

"I'm hearing a lot of push from the constituents who want us to do something about gay marriage, but I think that leadership feels that they would rather just leave it and let the courts decide," Worthan said. "A lot of us, however, feel that the courts have already chosen to enter the legislative arena."

Worthan predicted much talk and little action from legislators over gay "marriage" and the defense of the family. Kettering said he will support legislation to restrict marriage to a man and a woman, but doesn't think that such legislation will come to a vote.

"It was a huge rally today, and I had the chance to visit with some of the participants from our home district," said Kettering. "Frankly, I doubt that leadership will allow it to come to a vote. The reason that will be used is that it should be allowed to run its course in the court system."

Governor Culver has expressed his wishes that the court system expedite its ruling so that excuse may be removed from legislators as a reason to avoid the topic. 

See previous LifeSiteNews.com coverage:

Iowa Judge Temporarily Imposes "Gay Marriage" on State
http://www.lifesitenews.com/ldn/2007/aug/07083111.html

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