Congressman Barney Frank
Representing Massachusetts' 4th District

PRESS RELEASE

Congressman Barney Frank's Statement about Attorney General Coakley's Lawsuit Challenging the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)
July 9, 2008

"Martha Coakley’s decision to join the lawsuit against the part of The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) that denies federal recognition of thousands of valid Massachusetts marriages deserves the support and gratitude of all of the state’s residents.

This is an important example of the legitimate use of the law both on behalf of the principle and the rights of tens of thousands of citizens of the Commonwealth.

I will be particularly interested to see how conservative defenders of states’ rights rebut Attorney General Coakley’s cogent argument of our rights as a state to defend marriage which has been cast aside by this law that she has challenged."


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