Marry Me Minnesota, the organization behind the lawsuit against Hennepin County and the state’s anti-gay marriage laws, is calling on Hennepin County to cease defense of the laws that prevent same-sex couples from marrying. Three couples are suing the county in order to get marriage licenses. The case won a minor victory last month when an appellate court sent the case back to district court in Hennepin County saying a previous ruling was in error.
Marry Me Minnesota says that if the county discontinues its defense of the law, the case will prevail.
Here’s the press release from Marry Me Minnesota:
Tell Hennepin County to Stop Fighting Against Marriage Equality
Marry Me Minnesota’s winning effort at the Minnesota Court of Appeals, last month, eliminated the State of Minnesota as a defendant in our case, leaving only one defendant – Hennepin County. Hennepin County is not bound to mount a defense against our case for marriage equality. The County can and should refuse to defend marriage discrimination and we should make it clear to them that that is exactly what we want them to do – Stop Defending Discrimination!
If the County refuses to defend against Marry Me Minnesota’s lawsuit and refuses to waste taxpayer money hiring a private firm to defend discrimination for them, WE WIN, and same-sex couples will legally marry in Minnesota, probably quite quickly, well before the November election.
Call the County Attorney’s office and the Hennepin County Commissioners and let them know that you want them to withdraw from fighting Marry Me Minnesota’s marriage equality lawsuit and Stop Defending Discrimination!
A sample phone message:
“I’m calling to urge the County to end it’s defense in the case of Benson vs Alverson and not hire an outside law firm to take the case. I believe same-sex couples should be able to legally marry in the State of Minnesota and I don’t want the County wasting taxpayer dollars fighting to continue discrimination against GLBT Minnesotans.”
—CALL NOW, TODAY, THROUGH FRIDAY FEB. 17—
Please email us with the result of your call: [email protected]County Attorney, Mike Freeman:
612-348-5550
Hennepin County Attorney
C-2000 Government Center
300 South 6th Street
Minneapolis, MN. 55487
———————————————-Hennepin County Board:
Mike Opat – 612-348-7881, Chair
Mark Stenglein – 612-348-7882
Gail Dorfman – 612-348-7883
Peter McLaughlin – 612-348-7884
Randy Johnson – 612-348-7885
Jan Callison – 612-348-7886
Jeff Johnson – 612-348-7887Hennepin County Board
A-2400 Government Center
300 South 6th Street
Minneapolis, MN 55487