Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen
Kane on Tuesday cheered a federal judge's ruling striking down the
state's ban on gay marriage.
Gay and lesbian couples started
marrying following U.S. District Judge John E. Jones' ruling.
(Related: Pennsylvania
begins issuing marriage licenses to gay couples after ruling.)
Kane, a Democrat, last year refused to
defend the state's restrictive marriage law in Jones' court.
“This is an historic day. More
importantly, today brings justice to Pennsylvanians who have suffered
from unequal protection under the law because of their sexual
orientation,” Kane
said in a written statement. “When state-sponsored inequality
exists, citizens are deprived of the full protections that the
Constitution guarantees. Our Commonwealth progressed today and so
have the hopes and dreams of many who suffer from inequality.”
“Today, in Pennsylvania, the
Constitution prevailed. Inequality in any form is unacceptable and
it has never stood the test of time. I have remained steadfast in my
decision not to defend Pennsylvania's Defense of Marriage Act because
I made a legal determination as to the unconstitutionality of this
law. I am pleased that a learned legal mind such as Judge Jones
ruled similarly.”