A conservative Florida group has sued
to stop Orlando officials from issuing marriage licenses to gay and
lesbian couples next week.
According to the
AP, Florida Family Action on Tuesday filed two lawsuits.
A federal judge's order striking down
Florida's gay marriage ban takes effect at the end of the day on
Monday. But Florida officials argue that the ruling only applies to
one county.
(Related: Florida
wants judge to decide scope of gay marriage ruling.)
Lawyers for the plaintiffs disagree,
saying that the state's 67 county clerks must begin issuing marriage
licenses to gay couples who ask for them on Tuesday.
Orlando officials have pledged to
issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
Officials named in the lawsuits include
Osceola County Clerk of Court Armando Ramirez, Orlando Mayor Buddy
Dyer and Circuit Judge Robert LeBlanc.
Florida Family Action also argues that
the ruling only applies to one county.
The group's president, John Stemberger,
strongly lobbied for passage of Florida's ban. In a recent Facebook
post, he claimed that allowing gay couples to marry would harm
children and vowed to “never give up on this issue” even “if it
takes 20, 30, or 50 years.”
(Related: John
Stemberger on Florida gay marriage ruling: Kids have “no chance”
of having mom, dad.)