Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley has
endorsed Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler's favorable opinion on
gay marriage.
O'Malley made his remarks Wednesday on
DC-based WTOP's Ask
the Governor radio
show.
Gansler's February 24 opinion concludes
that Maryland's highest court is likely to decide in favor of
recognizing gay marriages performed in other states. State agencies
are expected to follow the opinion and recognize the marriages of gay
couples performed in other jurisdictions over the objection of a
state law that bans such unions. The opinion arrived a week before a
gay marriage law took effect in neighboring District of Columbia on
March 3.
“The question is should our state
recognize contracts entered into in other jurisdictions,” O'Malley
answered when asked about the opinion. “And we always have in the
past. Not only is it the right legal advice, it's also, I think, the
only practical way to go. I mean, with unions being entered into in
the District of Columbia, there will no doubt be gay parents who will
be raising their children [in Maryland] and in order to make sure
that those children have all of the protections in law, I think that
Maryland has to recognize unions entered into in other states.”
Republican lawmakers, however, have
already indicated that they will attempt
several maneuvers to reverse Gansler's opinion, including an
attempt to impeach the attorney general.
“We're going to follow the advice. I
think it was sound legal reasoning, good policy,” O'Malley added.