Kern County, California Supervisors Reject Anti-gay Marriage Proposal

The county supervisors for Kern County, California, where Kern County Auditor-Controller-County Clerk Ann Barnett announced her office would cease doing civil marriages for anyone following the May 15, 2008, California Supreme Court ruling that struck down bans on gay marriage, have rejected a proposed ordinance to ban gay marriages. The proposed ordinance was championed by Randy Thomasson of the Campaign for Children and Families, who Pam Spaulding has properly called a "wingnut media whore." Like Janet Folger, Mr. Thomasson holds himself out as an expert in many spheres even though he only holds a bachelor's degree in Radio/TV/Film, with a minor in Broadcast Journalism. Now he is pretending to be a constitutional scholar and attorney, apparently. Fortunately, even the conservatives on the county commission realized that adopting the ordinance would lead to litigation the County could not win. Here are some highlights from the Bakersfield Californian (note how the wingnuts believe that they are above the law):

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County supervisors rejected two gay marriage proposals Tuesday, one banning the unions in Kern, the other asking San Bernardino County to deputize people to perform civil ceremonies here. County Counsel Bernard Barmann said the anti-gay marriage ordinance proposed by a conservative coalition would violate the California constitution.

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Pastor and Kern High School District Trustee Chad Vegas said the sin of gay marriage is “self-evident” and supervisors should not be swayed by Barmann's opinion that their oath to uphold the state constitution required them to block the ordinance.

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“What some are asking us to do today we are not able to do,” said Supervisor Mike Maggard. “We would lose (in court). The county’s coffers would be open. We would have to pay plaintiff’s fees.” Randy Thomasson of the Campaign for Children and Families, which drafted the ordinance, hoped passage in Kern would help an effort to pass a statewide gay marriage ban in November.

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Following the decision, Thomasson issued a press release saying if Kern County supervisors had been at the real Alamo, “they probably would have turned tail and ran.”

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As for the County Clerk, unfortunately, the supervisors did not issue an ultimatum telling her to either do her job or resign. As public employees people like Ms. Barnett to understand that they are to comply with legal procedures and services to ALL members of the public and if their sensibilities are so fragile, then they need to find alternate employment. It's always about THEIR rights and to Hell with everyone else's.