WYOMING REPUBLICANS LASH OUT AT GOP GOVERNOR MATT MEAD FOR NOT APPEALING GAY MARRIAGE RULING

Back in October, Republican Wyoming Gov. Matt Mead declined to appeal a federal district judge's ruling striking down the state's same-sex marriage ban. 

Mead recognized that since the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, which covers Wyoming, had struck down similar bans in other states, and that since the U.S. Supreme Court had declined to review the decision, such an appeal would be futile. As a result, same-sex couples began marrying in Wyoming.

Two months later, GOP leaders in Goshen County are still smarting over the outcome, and they've decided to lash out at Mead (right). Thirty-three members of the county party's central committee have written a letter to Mead — along with the Senate president and the House speaker — slamming the governor for not appealing the decision. 

The Casper Star-Tribune reports:

“We hold that Gov. Mead was remiss in not strenuously supporting and defending our platform planks on family and marriage which was manifested in his failure to appeal the same-sex marriage ruling of the U.S. District Court,” the letter states. 

“While the opportunity to appeal has regrettably passed, we call on all our Republican office holders and leaders to do all they can from this point forward to support and promote our official party platform planks relating to family and marriage.”

Mead, who was re-elected in November, issued a statement in response to the letter saying he continues to oppose same-sex marriage: 

“But we need to recognize where we are with the courts, and I do recognize that. This group or other groups are free to pursue any recourse they believe is available. Interestingly, when I was fighting the case in Wyoming federal district court and a separate case in Wyoming state court, I did not hear from this group.”

Jeran Artery, chairman of Wyoming Equality, had this to say about the letter: 

“The Goshen County Republicans are on the wrong side of history,” he said. “I wonder, when they issue a statement like that and sign their names to it, what their grandkids and great-grandkids are going to think of this.”

And Gregory T. Angelo, executive director of National Log Cabin Republicans, said: 

“If you are a fiscal conservative, continuing a stringent opposition to civil marriage equality in the wake of these bans getting struck down, one after another, is in many respects doing a disservice to the taxpayers of the state,” he said.

Last month, a poll found that 53 percent of Wyoming residents now support same-sex marriage, compared to only 39 percent who oppose it. 

Meanwhile, LGBT advocates in Wyoming hope the marriage ruling will create new momentum for a bill to outlaw anti-LGBT discrimination. 

Other county GOP groups reportedly intend to send similar letters criticizing Mead for not appealing the ruling, but despite their efforts, it sounds as though Wyoming may be on its way to living up to its nickname: The Equality State.

Editorial board: Time for Wyoming to say yes to gay marriage

It's time to allow same-sex couples to wed in Wyoming.

Changing state law regarding same-sex unions is the right and moral thing to do, it's increasingly inevitable and it'll fix a paradox in the law.

While a case now before a Wyoming court could result in a decision that strikes down the law, lawmakers should closely watch the court case and act decisively to change Wyoming's marriage law if the court does not.

There's already some momentum from legislators. Seven Republican state lawmakers recently penned a guest column in the Star-Tribune to say why they believe gay marriage meshes with conservative, Republican values. We echo their statements and applaud them for taking their stance.

Changing state law is the right thing to do and fits Wyoming's values.

It's inherently conservative to value the family, to encourage and support two people who want to commit themselves to each other and their children. It's inherently Republican to say that rights afforded to some should be extended to all, regardless of differences. It's inherently libertarian to say the government shouldn't define whether two consenting adults can be legally and exclusively bound to each other. It's inherently moral to say those who have committed themselves to each other shouldn't be excluded from the right, responsibilities or benefits of marriage.

It's increasingly inevitable Wyoming will change its laws and mind on this issue.

Both public opinion and the legal standing for same-sex unions are changing, and quickly. Seventeen states and the District of Columbia now allow same-sex couples to marry. Eight states allowed the unions through legislative action, six states did so by court decision and three by popular vote. Four more states -- Colorado, Oregon, Nevada and Wisconsin -- allow some sort of domestic partnership. Now Wyoming's facing a legal challenge to its marriage law, and South Dakota likely will soon.

More and more people appear to be genuinely changing their position on same-sex unions. And a look at poll trends from the last decade show a remarkable and accelerating shift in public support -- a majority in nearly all recent polls.

The courts also continue their bend toward allowing same-sex couples to wed.

Last June, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a key part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act and left in place a lower court's ruling calling a California same-sex marriage ban unconstitutional. The 10th Circuit Court of Appeals is currently considering a lower court's reversal of a Utah ban on same-sex unions. The appeals court's decision could have broad ramifications for similar cases across the West, including in Wyoming.

Al Simpson, former U.S. senator from Wyoming, and a trio of state legislators -- all Republicans -- penned an friend-of-the-court brief attacking Utah's ban. Their message was simple: Allowing gays and lesbians to marry promotes the social stability of the family unit. 

Wyoming lawmakers should also change state law to make its marriage law gender-neutral, or it'll only face additional court challenges.

While a 1977 statute bans the performance or recognition of same-sex unions, the law also recognizes legal marriages from other state and countries. The paradox means while Wyoming won't allow gay marriage within its borders, it has allowed a same-sex couple to divorce. That's ludicrous. As more state and countries recognize same-sex unions, it's increasingly likely Wyoming's laws will face court challenges if they aren't reconciled.

We think such challenges should be unnecessary. The state Legislature is the best place for the state to come to terms with how same-sex unions is a good fit in Wyoming. Whichever way the courts rule, we hope the Legislature will revisit the matter and do the right and moral thing.

Wyoming House Rejects Marriage Equality Bill in 41-17 Vote

Wyoming's House of Representatives has voted 41-17 to reject a bill that would have given gay and lesbian couples the freedom to marry, the Casper Star-Tribune reports:

House Bill 87, sponsored by Rep. Cathy Connolly, D-Laramie, would have changed the law that says marriage is a contract between a male and female to marriage being a contract between two natural persons.

...Connolly, who is openly gay, said there are 12,877 gay people in Wyoming. On a personal note, she said she’s lived in Wyoming for two decades and has chosen to raise her son here.

“If I want to get married to the woman that I love, I want to do it here,” she said.

Liz Cheney: 'I have decided to discontinue my campaign'

Liz Cheney is ending her campaign for Senate in Wyoming, the Republican announced in a statement early Monday morning.

Citing health concerns in her family, Cheney said the issues arising prompted her to end her GOP primary challenge to Sen. Mike Enzi (R-Wyo.).

“Serious health issues have recently arisen in our family, and under the circumstances, I have decided to discontinue my campaign. My children and their futures were the motivation for our campaign and their health and well-being will always be my overriding priority,” Cheney said in the statement.

Cheney pledged to keep working for her political values despite ending the campaign.

“Phil and I want to thank the thousands of people in Wyoming and all across the country who have supported my campaign. As a mother and a patriot, I know that the work of defending freedom and protecting liberty must continue for each generation. Though this campaign stops today, my commitment to keep fighting with you and your families for the fundamental values that have made this nation and Wyoming great will never stop.”

Will Liz Cheney Destroy the Wyoming Republican Party?

Former Vice President Dick Cheney's daughter Liz Cheney has announced her bid for the US Senate to represent her home state of Wyoming. As a result, Fox News terminated her position as a political analyst, a position she has held since January 2012. Rather than shady shenanigans, however, the reason for her termination was to avoid a conflict-of-interest, and the practice of terminating contracts when political analysts announce candidacy for office is used by most cable news networks. Cheney will be running against Republican Senator Mike Enzi for the seat, who announced his candidacy on Tuesday afternoon. 

Enzi is against all forms of abortion, voted for measures to ban gay marriage and flag desecration, is a strong supporter of gun rights, supports partial privatization of Social Security and has voted against expanding Medicare. He takes a hard view on immigration, has voted to uphold the PATRIOT Act, and opposed any reduction in wiretapping and extending rights to Guantanamo Bay detainees.

To compare, Cheney co-founded the non-profit group Keep America Safe which supports keeping Guantanamo open, called DOJ attorneys terrorist sympathizers for defending Gitmo detainees, supports gay marriage and the repeal of DADT, defended Halliburton, and has a track record of lying or distorting the facts when discussing the Obama and Bush administrations such as claiming that Obama has engaged in a "strategic retreat" from the war on terror.

According to former Republican Senator Alan K. Simpson in an interview last week, “[it will be] the destruction of the Republican Party of Wyoming if she decides to run and he runs, too. It’s a disaster — a divisive, ugly situation — and all it does is open the door for the Democrats for 20 years.”