Letters: SC Attorney general had to fight same-sex marriage lawsuits

Why should the state attorney general’s office be required to pay any plaintiff’s legal fees in the same-sex marriage lawsuits? As a part of his official duties, the attorney general is required by the South Carolina Constitution to “Preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the state.” In this case that meant defending the marriage act and constitutional amendment that was approved by 78 percent of the votes in 2006 and finally adjudicated by the U.S. Supreme Court on June 26, nullifying all voter-approved constitutional bans on same-sex marriage.

In my opinion, the attorney general had no choice but to defend any lawsuits challenging provisions of the state constitution; otherwise he would violate his oath of office.

This story was originally published August 22, 2015 at 6:16 PM with the headline "Letters: SC Attorney general had to fight same-sex marriage lawsuits."