Stories

Despite efforts by a Republican state senator and several conservative groups to convince county recorders to ignore the Iowa Supreme Court and refuse to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, so far local officials have followed the law without incident.

An Arizona-based Christian nonprofit is offering free legal defense to any of Iowa’s 99 county recorders who refuse to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

County recorders do not have the authority to refuse to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, according to Iowa Attorney General Tom Miller.

Dave Price, the political reporter for Des Moines NBC affiliate WHO-TV, decided to look into the political affiliation of the seven Supreme Court Justices in the aftermath of their historic verdict striking down Iowa’s ban on same-sex marriage.
What he found isn’t too surprising. Cheif Justice Marsha Ternus and Justice Mark Cady, the two appointed by [...]

The Iowa Supreme Court’s decision to void the state’s ban on same-sex marriage will go into effect Monday, April 27, three days later than previously anticipated.

The offices of Congressmen Dave Loebsack (D-Mt. Vernon) and Leonard Boswell (D-Des Moines) have forwarded comments on today’s Iowa Supreme Court decision in Varnum v. Brien. Both statements resist direct involvement in what is, conveniently enough, mostly a state-level issue, but they also signal “respect” for the decision.

U.S. Rep. Bruce Braley, a Democrat representing Iowa’s 1st District, urged calm in light of today’s Supreme Court decision to legalize same-sex marriage:
“While Iowans will disagree over today’s historic Supreme Court ruling, it’s important to remember that we’re all neighbors. The Court unanimously found that gay couples are entitled to equal protection under the Iowa [...]

Iowa’s only openly gay legislator, State Sen. Matt McCoy, has recorded and released a YouTube video reacting to today’s Iowa Supreme Court decision granting marriage rights to same-sex couples.  In the video, he explains why he does not expect the court’s decision to be overturned by a constitutional amendment.  He expresses pride in the Hawkeye [...]

Trish Varnum, who is now planning a quiet fall wedding, had a difficult time keeping her emotions under control while speaking to Iowa Independent by phone Friday morning. Trish and her longtime partner, Kate Varnum, were lead plaintiffs in the same-sex marriage case decided Friday.

The Iowa General Assembly should act quickly to not only pass a Constitutional amendment nullifying the Supreme Court’s ruling, but should also pass a marriage license residency requirement so that Iowa “does not become the gay marriage Mecca due to the Supreme Court’s latest experiment in social engineering,” Rep. Steve King, R-Kiron, said today in [...]