To accompany the op-ed piece from Mayor Michael Nutter, I feel compelled to report on my recent call with the city’s Register of Wills Ron Donatucci, whose office issues marriage licenses in Philadelphia County.
After my repeated calls for him to issue licenses to same-sex couples, such as was recently done by Montgomery County Register of Wills D. Bruce Hanes, we have been in contact. Donatucci is a supporter of marriage equality and stated to me that he looks forward to the day he can issue licenses to same-sex couples. But, he said, it is his job not to challenge the law, but to stay in its scope. That scope is given to him by the City of Philadelphia and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. He said that, if he does not follow those set laws, his office, and your tax dollars, will be used to fight a battle in the courts, where only lawyers win.
He’s somewhat correct. A judge last week ruled against Hanes, and the county is now appealing. In fact, all the cases taking place now in an overwhelming number of states that do not allow marriage equality mean there’s are a mountain of cases heading to state and appellate courts. The U.S. Supreme Court will eventually have to rule on a national policy of marriage equality.
Pennsylvania already has several cases lined up.
Donatucci’s point is, why waste taxpayer money to make a point that is already being made?
Mark Segal, PGN publisher, is the nation’s most-award-winning commentator in LGBT media. He can be reached at [email protected].