Tennessee Attorney General Herbert Slatery on Monday in Chattanooga reiterated his office’s opinion on the Supreme Court’s ruling on same-sex marriage saying that he believes it should be a state issue.
In reference to the case during an address to the Pachyderm Club, Mr.
Slatery said, “It was our most high-profile case this year, and we didn’t realize how important it was going to be.”
Mr. Slatery, who is the only attorney general in the nation appointed by the respective state’s Supreme Court, said that he disagreed with the federal court’s decision to legalize same-sex marriage in every state.
However, when the ruling was actually passed on June 26, Mr. Slatery spoke for his office and informed all county clerks in Tennessee to begin issuing marriage licenses immediately.
At that time, he said he was disappointed with the court’s decision, and added that “Everyone needs to be patient, reasonable and understanding during this process. It will not happen overnight, despite the best of intentions, but it will happen in Tennessee.”
He also said, “Today's United States Supreme Court decision not only changes the definition of marriage, but takes from states and their citizens the longstanding authority to vote and decide what marriage means.”