Paul Sousa has focused his campaign to get state lawsuits filed against DOMA on the candidates for Attorney General in Rhode Island. Massachusetts AG Martha Coakley filed the first anti-DOMA lawsuit last year. (The Obama administration has to file its response to the Massachusetts DOMA suit by April 30th. Let’s hope someone at the Justice Department, like LGBT liaison Matt Nosanchuk, is actually paying attention this time and prevents a repeat of DOJ’s past DOMA disasters.)
Rhode Island doesn’t have marriage equality (yet), but its citizens can get married in other states. And, Rhode Island’s two neighbors, Massachusetts and Connecticut, allow marriage. So, this week, Paul, who had success last week getting all the Democratic AG candidates in Connecticut on-the-record, asked the RI AG candidates if they’d file a lawsuit to find DOMA unconstitutional:
On the Rhode Island Attorney General website, it prominently states, “Protecting our families is a primary concern of the Attorney General.” I would like to know, if elected, would you defend all citizens and families of Rhode Island, including the married same-sex couples here, and file suit against Section 3 of DOMA, which denies all 1,138 federal marriage benefits to married same-sex couples of Rhode Island?
And, yesterday, Paul already had a response:
“If elected Attorney General, Steve Archambault will support Martha Coakley’s efforts through either joining the lawsuit, submitting an amicus brief or providing some other appropriate assistance.”
I have to give Paul a lot of credit. It’s easy to overlook the down ballot races. But, AGs matter. Exhibit A: Ken Cuccinelli in Virginia.
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