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For Immediate Release: Statement from Chuck Smith, CEO of Equality Texas Regarding Attorney General Ken Paxton’s Latest Attempt to Challenge the U.S. Supreme Court’s Obergefell Decision
Posted on October 28, 2016 at 12:38 pm

Austin, Texas (October 28, 2016) – In a futile attempt to challenge the decision in Obergefell v. Hodges, in favor of marriage equality, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, Governor Greg Abbott and Lt. Governor Dan Patrick are at it again wasting more taxpayer dollars with an amicus brief filed with the Texas Supreme Court. 

Abbott, Patrick and Paxton refuse to accept the SCOTUS ruling as the law of the land, and this is nothing more than a nonsensical flailing to establish or maintain rights to discriminate against legally-married same-sex couples. Similar anti-LGBT marriage efforts were attempted in the state of Mississippi, and they were rejected by the courts. No matter what the Texas Supreme Court rules, discrimination will not be allowed by the federal courts. 

In Texas, 67% of Texans favor a law protecting LGBT people against discrimination in jobs, public accommodations, and housing. We are hopeful and confident that the civil rights of same-sex couples in Texas will ultimately prevail. The attempts to deny individuals and families in Texas equal protection under the law are shameful and ultimately will not succeed. 

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