COLUMBUS, Ohio — An Ohio lawmaker is reiterating his call to impeach a federal judge over his recent rulings on same-sex ‘marriage,’ after he vowed last week to strike down the state’s ban on homosexual weddings.
Representative John Becker (R-Union Township) told reporters that U.S. District Court Judge Timothy Black is trampling both the state and federal constitution with his rulings.
“In an epic display of arrogance and incompetence, Judge Black announced that he will require the people of Ohio to disregard the Ohio Constitution and force the recognition of ‘homosexual marriages’ performed outside of Ohio,” his office wrote in a recent statement. “He persists in allowing his personal political bias to supersede jurisprudence.”
As previously reported, Black, appointed by Barack Obama, issued a ruling in December that required state officials to recognize same-sex “marriages” on death certificates.
“[T]he question is presented whether a state can do what the federal government cannot – i.e., discriminate against same-sex couples … simply because the majority of the voters don’t like homosexuality (or at least didn’t in 2004),” he wrote. “Under the Constitution of the United States, the answer is no.”
Now Black advises that he will soon strike down the state’s ban on same-sex ‘marriage,’ which was approved by the majority of voters in the 2004 election, causing Becker to reiterate his call for Black’s impeachment.
Becker currently has a resolution before lawmakers on the matter, but it has not yet had a hearing. Resolutions are different than law in that they do not require action, but merely serve as a position statement.
“Whereas the federal government has an ever-growing propensity to violate state sovereignty,” the resolution states. “Whereas the impeachment of rogue federal judges will begin the process of restoring state sovereignty to the original intent of the United States Constitution…”
“Whereas Judge Black has demonstrated his incompetence by allowing his personal political bias to supersede jurisprudence,” it continues. “[N]ow therefore be it resolved that, in consideration of the above, we, the members of the 130th Ohio General Assembly, respectfully urge the Ohio Congressional delegation to initiate impeachment proceedings against Judge Timothy S. Black of United States District Court for the Southern District of Ohio.”
Becker says that the entire matter hinges on state sovereignty—the right of the Ohio government to rule its own state as it wishes. He said that the revocation of state’s rights has been a growing problem in America.
“The federal government has an ever growing propensity to violate state sovereignty. Although this has been a trend since the early 19th century, it has accelerated exponentially in recent decades,” Becker explained. “Rather than the solution, the federal judiciary has been the primary problem … This will begin the process of restoring state sovereignty back to the original intent of the U.S. Constitution.”
Becker is a Christian and is married with one child.