Romney Personally Issued Marriage Licenses to 189 Same-Sex Couples

www.RomneyExposed.com ^ | October 4, 2011

[SoConPubbie]

Every since Mitt Romney first tossed his hat into the presidential sweepstakes in 2007, he has repeatedly maintained that he opposes same-sex marriages and has always portrayed himself as a champion of traditional marriage.

However, in an incident that has gone mostly unreported, Romney, as Governor of Massachusetts, personally issued at least 189 one-day special marriage licenses to same-sex couples in 2005. He likely issued a similar number of licenses in both 2004 and 2006 but the state records for these years are not easily available. One-day marriage licenses are in effect permits issued to a couple allowing them to designate anyone they choose to officiate at the wedding. These special one-day marriage licenses are not to be confused with the thousands of regular marriage licenses granted to same-sex couples by Justices of the Peace and town clerks by order of Governor Romney in the aftermath of the Goodridge same-sex marriage decision.

More than any other action by Romney, these special licenses demonstrated where his heart was on the same-sex marriage issue since they were purely discretionary. There was no mandate forcing Romney to issue such licenses. This calls into question his authenticity as an alleged social conservative candidate.

Romney began issuing the one-day marriage licenses shortly after the Massachusetts Supreme Court issued the Goodridge homosexual marriage decision. The court urged the legislature to codify its decision but to this day, this has never occurred. The marriage statutes on the books today remain the same – only male/female marriages are legal.

Incredibly, even though the state legislature never codified the Goodridge decision, Gov. Romney unilaterally ordered his Department of Public Health to print new marriage licenses for same-sex couples and ordered all Town Clerks and Justices of the Peace to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples or lose their jobs.

Indeed, many constitutional attorneys have opined that Romney is the father of gay marriage in America since he was never compelled by the court to implement gay marriage and the Massachusetts constitution is clear that only the legislature can alter the marriage statutes.

Professor Scott Fitzgibbon of Boston College Law School wrote that the Goodridge decision “did not mandate that the executive branch issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.” Constitutional scholar Herb Titus said that Romney “exercised illegal legislative authority” and added “there was no order. There wasn’t even any order to the Department of Public Health to do anything.” Matt Staver, Dean of Liberty Law School, said that Romney “went out and ordered to licenses to be changed, and if fact, that’s not his duty. His duty was to abide by the legislature….the governor actually participated, in my opinion, in advancing same-sex marriage.”

[Invincibly Ignorant]

So are you going to vote for Obama

Thanx to morons like you those are probably going to be our only two choices.

[SoConPubbie]

No, Romney is by no means the ideal Conservative candidate, but giving Obama 4 more years by going 3rd Party "on principle" is insane.

Well, you're maybe half right.

The only thing Republican about Mitt Romney is the 'R' next to his name.

If you were to look at his record alone, minus his lying words, you'd think you were looking at a run-of-the-mill left-wing Democrat.

Oh, and BTW, if you think that by posting Mitt Romney's REAL record I am helping the Obama '12 campaign, you're pretty dumb.

They are salivating at the prospect of facing Romney because they already have this information lined up and ready to go if he gains the nomination.

They're going to cream him.

[hosepipe]

[ Count me out here. Some principles are non-negotiable ]

Bully JC... some people have no principles..
But have lowered their standards to WIN in a rigged game..

Republican or Democrat figurehead they don’t care as long its the correct figurehead..
Homer Simpson logic.. or “Bart Simpson freepers”.. maybe..

***
“I didn’t do it, nobody saw me do it, there’s no way you can prove anything! “- Bart Simpson..

Marge, it takes two to lie. One to lie and one to listen. -Homer Simpson

[JCBreckenridge]

Real simple question. How many points are your principles worth? Right now Santorum is actually stronger than Romney is vs Obama. Santorum is weaker in areas where Obama is strong and strong where he is weak.

Romney is stronger where Obama is strong, and weak where Obama is weak, which is good - unless you’re the one who’s 5 points down, in which case you get a blowout.

[hosepipe]

Romney is Obamas Plan “B”...
Santo is Obamas Plan “C”..

Newt is the ONLY ENEMY(of Obama).. did I say ONLY!?..
He may be a whore but he isn’t a Union stooge.. like the two above..

Seems America does not want a conservative.. even a psuedo conservative like Newt..
Romney and Santo are OWNED by the Unions.. yes (OWNED)..

America WANTS FREE healthcare..
FREE healthcare is damned EXPENSIVE...
The democrats have SOLD the free moneytree to America..
All the believers are willing to VOTE for MYTH-Romney or MYTH-Obama..
Santo is just flying around the Obama-outhouse.. lord knows what hes landed on..

[JCBreckenridge]

Which is why they’ve been trying to destroy Santorum for months?

We’ve got just one shot of stopping Romney and we have to get behind Santorum.

[hosepipe]

Santo is a convert Union goon..

[hosepipe]

... covert...

[caww]

Mitt Romeny is the very definition of a liar in bodily form. There is nothing at all about the man that is credible...nothing.

[coton_lover]

Please! Do not vote for Romney on April, 3! That’s today!

[hosepipe]

check.....

[caww]

Romney is by no means the ideal Conservative candidate, but giving Obama 4 more years by going 3rd Party "on principle" is insane.

No, it is not.... its guys like you that are trying to hang the future of the country on guys like us who WILL NOT STAY ON THE RESERVATION when we WEREN'T THE ONES WHO LEFT IN THE FIRST PLACE!!!

Nope,.... if you get Obama....Do Not Blame Me.....You can blame the Cardinals in the GOP college that sent the white smoke up the chimney on this fraud from before the first primary..... Romney was a presumption. .....You are trying to perpetrate that presumption.

It's not a matter of principle...it's a matter that Obama will win by default if Romney gets this....so no, I will not be voting for Romney now, nor in the General.

A vote for Romney IS a vote for Obama!

[caww]

we have to get behind Santorum.

He's not a whole lot better than Romney in regards to obtaining the moderates and independants....Already the woman are apparently going for Obama rather than see Santorum dictate to them on the social issues.

Although if push comes to shove I'll hold my nose as I did for McCain and vote for Santorum if Newt and Santorum don't move this to convention....not over yet. But Santorum is as green as they come for stepping into the Presidency and frankly we don't have the time for his many errors of judgement..and they simply have followed him throughout his career...so he's more than a risk.

Until we know if this will go to convention I'll remain in Newt's court...far and above any SAntorum.

[JCBreckenridge]

Santorum actually does the best among all the republican candidates with both women in general, and especially republican women.

Gingrich has the highest negatives among women and republican women especially.

[caww]

I wasn't talking about republican woman as my post clearly states....JFYI...more than just Republicans are voting...some are changing parties to vote Romney where they can. Further Republican woman as much as democratic woman get too caught up in appearances and not substance. Santorum plays to that for many...even here on FR we've seen this.

But you are wrong on the moderates and independants...the woman are moving to Romney because they aren't about to give up thier "social" freedoms and they see Santorum as putting a stop to those.

[Eaker]

Romney is by no means the ideal Conservative candidate,

Romney is not ideal.

Romney is not conservative.

Romney is a candidate in name only.

Romney sucks in every possible way.

[Waryone]

Sad to hear you say that too.

Romney’s not running on social issues because he’d lose big time. He’s also not running on his socialist past history because he couldn’t claim to be severely conservative if he did.

Politicians, like Mitt, who give tax payer provided cars, car insurance and AAA memberships to welfare recipients are not fiscal conservatives. Politicians who support the gay agenda and fifty dollar abortions are not social conservatives. A politician whose company attempts to fulfill the Red Chinese desire to steal American secrets is not a patriot. Politicians who ban guns don’t support RBKA.

What part of Mitt Romney do you love so much? Or just do you just hate social conservatives so much that any old commie will do.

[cicero2k]

What part of Mitt Romney do you love so much? Or just do you just hate social conservatives so much that any old commie will do.

I'm on the right as much as anyone here. Most of us want the non-RINO alternative, be it Santorum or Gingrich.

I think all three should stay away from sexual, reproductive social issues. We have enough on our plate and it gives the other side a line of inquiry, drilling down that takes attention away from the issues that hurt Obama.

They will paint Santorum as the anti-porn guy and nothing else, like smaller government, states rights, strong military, small and big business, domestic energy production etc. These issues will be forgotten on SNL and the Daley Report.

You can't open yourself up to mockery.

[Waryone]

"You can't open yourself up to mockery."

I don't worry about what those commies have to say. I care about doing what is right. Anyone refusing to stand for what is right because they are afraid of what the commies and socialists say, will have a very big problem some day. The reason we don't have a strong conservative in the race is that too many cowards thought Sarah Palin would be mocked as well. Reagan was a great president and he was mocked by the libs too. If we used your standard of choosing candidates, we would never have nominated him. If we wait for a conservative who is not mocked by this world, we will be waiting forever. Stand for what is right. Don't give in to fear of the libs.

If you really want to support conservative candidates, you have to stop worrying about the media and what they think. God's way is not mocked not by the media commies or anyone else. They may think they are mocking Him but they will come to see the truth in the end.

Don't make mockery your god. Don't let it be the decision maker. Hold to the truth and what is right. Let God be God and stand for what is right.