The February 28th unequivocal ruling by Federal Judge Sharon Johnson Coleman that Illinois’ current ban on the freedom to marry for same sex couples is unconstitutional has set off a statewide review at the county level. Cook Count Clerk David Orr’s office immediately began to issue marriage licenses without gender discrimination. Champaign County quickly did the same. The question, since the court ruled, has been whether other county clerks would continue to enforce a ban that a federal court has found to be unconstitutional.
Responding to a request for guidance from Macon County Clerk Stephen Bean, Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan clearly stated that her office would defend any same-sex couple who brought suit because they were denied a marriage license anywhere in Illinois. In her publically released letter to Bean, Madigan maintained that:
“...[M]y office’s position is that current Illinois restrictions against same-sex marriage violate the equal protection rights that belong to all citizens under the United States Constitution,”
Read the article from The Chicago Sun-Times.
