Former Iowa Supreme Court Justice: Anti-Marriage Equality Groups' M.O. is Bigotry

“If these organizations are really worried about marriage, rather than being motivated by bigotry and hatred, then they would be going after the divorce laws," former Chief Justice Marsha Ternus told the NYT's Frank Bruni.

BY Editors

May 06 2012 6:54 PM ET

A former Iowa Supreme Court chief justice ousted from the bench after she joined a unanimous 2009 opinion striking down laws against same-sex marriage is dubious of those who so stridently sought to replace her on the court.

Justice Marsha Ternus, one of three justices who lost their retention votes in 2010 following the decision — this after significant resources flowed into the state from anti-marriage equality groups — told the New York Times’ Frank Bruni, “If these organizations are really worried about marriage, rather than being motivated by bigotry and hatred, then they would be going after the divorce laws. But they’re not.”

Ternus and her two colleagues will receive the John F. Kennedy Profile in Courage Award in Boston on Monday.

Read Bruni’s op-ed here.