FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JULY 15, 2010

CONTACT: Elizabeth Ray, x130 or Mary Beth Hutchins, x105 at 703-683-5004

NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR MARRIAGE Vows US Supreme Court Appeal in DC Marriage Referendum Case:

"We look forward to bringing our fight for the right to vote on marriage to the nation’s highest court."- Brian Brown, President, National Organization for Marriage

(WASHINGTON) – Today, the District of Columbia Court of Appeals denied voters the right to vote on the marriage issue, instead choosing to side with the DC City Council and reject an appeal made to the council’s decision to allow same-sex marriage in DC.

Brian Brown, president of the National Organization for Marriage (NOM) responded to the DC Court of Appeals decision:

“With the closely divided 5-4 DC Court of Appeal ruling today prohibiting a voter referendum on the District of Columbia’s gay marriage law, the way is cleared for us to finally get the issue before the United States Supreme Court, where we are confident of victory. The central issue in this case is whether the people of the District of Columbia will be able to exercise their constitutional right to vote on this important issue, just as voters in 31 states have been able to do. The razor-thin majority on the DC Appeals court got it wrong when they said they owed substantial deference to the DC Council. In fact, it is the right of the people that is owed substantial deference by courts and the Council. We believe the US Supreme Court will agree with us. In considering getting involved in this case last March, Chief Justice John Roberts said our argument in the case ‘has some force.’ The Court decided to give the DC Court of Appeal the opportunity to consider the case. With today’s decision, we look forward to bringing our fight for the right to vote on marriage to the nation’s highest court.”

To schedule an interview with Brian Brown, President of the National Organization for Marriage, please contact Elizabeth Ray, eray@crcpublicrelations.com, (x130) or Mary Beth Hutchins, mhutchins@crcpublicrelations.com, (x105) at 703-683-5004.

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