7 of 8 Florida ‘gay marriage’ lawsuits dropped

ORLANDO (BP) -- All but one of the lawsuits challenging Florida's ban on "gay marriage" have been withdrawn by homosexual activists, the pro-family legal group Liberty Counsel said April 7. The group announced that seven of the eight lawsuits that had been filed had been withdrawn in recent weeks.

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In January, a federal judge in Florida upheld the state's ban on "gay marriage" and also upheld the federal Defense of Marriage Act. Following that, attorney Ellis Rubin -- who had been involved in seven of the cases -- said he would withdraw his lawsuits. The only one pending now, a state lawsuit, involves the National Center for Lesbian Rights. Liberty Counsel has been involved in all of them.

"Although seven of the eight court challenges against Florida’s marriage laws have been dismissed, Florida voters can only take comfort in protecting marriage though the passage of a state constitutional amendment," Liberty Counsel President Mat Staver said in a statement. "To successfully defend marriage, we have to win 100 percent of the time. One loss can have huge repercussions and create a ripple effect around the country."

Including Florida, nine states nationwide are involved in "gay marriage" lawsuits.