The upcoming Supreme Court decision on marriage will define the battle for faith and family for years to come. In light of that, the fact that two of the Justices hearing the case have expressed a very public bias in favor of same-sex marriage throws into question the impartiality of the Court. CAAP made news by demanding that Justices Kagan and Ginsburg recuse themselves from the case.
See excerpts from the media coverage below.
CAAP calls on Justices Ginsbug and Kagan to recuse themselves from same-sex marriage decision
Breitbart
In a recent press release, Rev. William Owens of the Coalition of African-American Pastors(CAAP) cited Ginsburg’s and Kagan’s “stated bias” as reason to recuse themselves in order to preserve the integrity of the court. Owens and his organization have launched a petition to bring attention to the alleged “lack of impartiality” on the part of the two justices.
In February, Ginsburg, 81, said in an interview with Bloomberg Business that Americans are ready to accept a Supreme Court decision that legalizes same-sex marriage because of significant changes in attitudes toward gay individuals. Ginsburg also became the first Supreme Court justice to officiate at a same-sex wedding in Washington. Kagan has since officiated at a same-sex wedding as well.
“A Justice of the Supreme Court is called on to avoid the appearance of bias—especially on a highly controversial and sensitive issue that is currently before the Court,” said Owens. “And yet, both Justice Ginsburg and Justice Kagan have taken a public stance in favor of same-sex marriage, even going so far as to officiate at a same-sex wedding.”
“Not only is this a breach of ethics, but it calls into question the integrity of the Court and the supposed balance that the judicial branch is meant to provide in Constitutional interpretation,” he continued. “It is beyond objectionable that no action has yet been taken to ensure that the case will be adjudicated fairly. And so it falls to us, the people, to take action.”
CAAP has launched a petition urging Kagan and Ginsburg to recuse themselves from deciding on the issue.
“The Court has shown willingness in the past to insert itself in matters that are more properly the domain of the voters,” Owens said. “For a case that promises to dramatically affect the future of family, religious freedom, and much more, there cannot be any question of political bias on the part of the judges involved.”
Does Obama Believe That Gay Is the New Black?
The Gospel Herald
Rev. William Owens, of the nonprofit organization Coalition of African American Pastors (CAAP), is appalled at the president’s statements.
“I marched with many people back in those days and I have reached out to some of my friends who marched with me, and all of them are shocked,” Owens told Breitbart News. “They never thought they would see this day that gay rights would be equated with civil rights. Not one agreed with this comparison.”
”By embracing gay marriage, President Obama is leading the country down an immoral path,” said Rev. William Owens, president of Coalition of African American Pastors.
The president acknowledged the hundreds of years of brutalities and indignities faced by generations of black Americans – but Owens says that reality does not mirror the gay rights movement.
“President Obama is a disgrace to the black community,” Owens said. “He is rewriting history. We didn’t suffer and die for gay marriage. We marched for opportunity, equality, justice, and freedom from oppression.”
Should Two Supreme Court Justices Who Officiated Gay Weddings Recuse Themselves From Same-Sex Marriage Case?
The Christian Post
The National Organization for Marriage has launched a petition asserting their belief that recent comments made by Ginsburg reveal a bias on the issue that warrants her recusal.
“A justice of any level — let alone one of the nine sitting members of the nation’s highest court — must unquestionably remain impartial in regards to any matter before the court. Justice Ginsburg recognized this fact and invoked it frequently in her own confirmation hearings in 1993,” reads the NOM petition.
“In light of these recent and deeply disturbing actions foreshadowing her intended ruling, I am demanding that Justice Ginsburg follow the law and judicial ethics, and disqualify herself from hearing the case pending before the court relating to same-sex ‘marriage.'”
The American Family Association and the Coalition of African-American Pastors have also called upon Kagan and Ginsburg to recuse themselves.
Pastors calls on biased justices to recuse themselves from same-sex marriage case
Lebanon Democrat
The Rev. William Owens, president and founder of the Coalition of African-American Pastors, called on Supreme Court justices Ruth Ginsburg and Elena Kagan to recuse themselves from a same-sex marriage case to be heard by the Court this session, citing their stated bias.
To preserve the integrity of the Court, CAAP also announced its intent to launch a petition campaign that would bring attention to the justices’ lack of impartiality.
The move sprung from public comments made by Ginsburg regarding her conviction that that American public would accept a ruling for same-sex marriage, as well as actions by both Ginsburg and Kagan that confirm their biased position on the issue. Both justices have performed same-sex weddings.
“A justice of the Supreme Court is called on to avoid the appearance of bias —especially on a highly controversial and sensitive issue that is currently before the Court,” said Owens. “And yet, both Justice Ginsburg and Justice Kagan have taken a public stance in favor of same-sex marriage, even going so far as to officiate at a same-sex wedding.
“Not only is this a breach of ethics, but it calls into question the integrity of the Court and the supposed balance that the judicial branch is meant to provide in constitutional interpretation. It is beyond objectionable that no action has yet been taken to ensure that the case will be adjudicated fairly. And so it falls to us, the people, to take action. CAAP is launching a petition urging Justices Kagan and Ginsburg remove themselves from decision-making on this issue and prevent a crisis brought on by the taint of a biased judiciary.”
