Kentucky Attorney General Will Not Defend STate's Marriage Ban

The ranks of attorneys general who are declining to defend their respective state's same sex marriage bans is growing.  In Kentucky, Attorney General Jack Conway (pictured at left) has made the announcement yesterday that he would not appeal U.S. District Judge John G. Heyburn II’s ruling striking down Kentucky's ban on recognition of same sex marriages performed in other sates and further that he would not pursue any more stays of the ruling.  Like other attorneys general who have taken this position, Conway properly placed his oath to defend the U.S. Constitution over his oath to defend Kentucky's Constitution. Governor Steve Beshear announced Tuesday morning that the state will hire outside counsel to appeal .  The Courier-Journal has details.  Here are excerpts:

Gov. Steve Beshear announced Tuesday morning that the state will hire outside counsel to appeal a judicial ruling that the state must recognize same-sex marriages legally performed outside the state.

The announcement followed state Attorney General Jack Conway’s emotional announcement that he would not appeal U.S. District Judge John G. Heyburn II’s ruling and would not pursue any more stays.

“Judge Heyburn got it right,” he said at his Frankfort office. By appealing, he said, he would be defending discrimination “and that I will not do.”

Conway said he had prayed on the decision and felt he is doing what is right. He said that he was sworn to defend both the constitutions of Kentucky and the United States.

“It’s about placing people over politics,” he said.

He began choking up at the end of the statement before leaving without taking questions.

Beshear’s office emailed a statement soon after the announcement saying that an outside counsel would be hired to appeal the decision and ask for a stay pending appeal.

Expect more rage and flying spittle from the Christocascist crowd.