Alaska’s new Attorney General has opted to join the fight for state sovereignty when it comes to marriage definitions. Craig Richards signed onto a brief filed with the Supreme Court from states which define marriage as between one man and one woman.
Richards: “My duty as attorney general is to defend the state constitution and the state constitution is clear. So barring a federal decision by the United States Supreme Court that makes clear that the federal constitution trumps the state constitution, it’s my duty to defend the state constitution.”
Governor Bill Walker said he wouldn’t have joined the suit if he was taking a personal position. He said adding the State of Alaska to someone else’s brief might not add much to the argument, but supported his pick for Attorney General and said he respects Richard’s role on Constitutional issues.
A federal judge last year struck down Alaska’s constitutional provision defining marriage as between one man and one woman, but the issue will likely be decided in the U.S. Supreme Court.