Articles target Gansler for same-sex marriage order
ANNAPOLIS — Maryland Del. Don H. Dwyer Jr. brought articles of impeachment against Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler in the House of Delegates Wednesday, instigating a heated debate over same-sex marriage, the legislative process and the Constitution.
Dwyer, R-Anne Arundel, said Gansler’s mandate that state agencies begin recognizing same-sex unions performed outside Maryland is a “direct violation of his oath.” He called on the House to approve sending the articles to the Senate for consideration.
But House Speaker Michael E. Busch denied Dwyer’s request for a vote, and referred the articles to the Judiciary Committee for a public hearing.
Susan Krebs, R-Carroll County, said the House was burying the call for impeachment in committee so lawmakers would not have to address same-sex marriage.
“We have had hearings every year on this type of legislation … and what happens to this bill? It never gets voted on. It gets stuck in a drawer in Judiciary Committee,” she said. “Why is everyone so fearful of putting up their vote on the board on this issue?”
Lawmakers “might as well all go home” if they give Gansler the right to make law, said Del. Nancy R. Stocksdale, R-Carroll. “I like being here. I don’t want the attorney general to take my job away from me,” she said.
But Todd Schuler, D-Baltimore, said such an egregious charge needed the full legislative process.
Del. Kumar Barve, D-Rockville, expanded on that argument, saying lawmakers would be un-American if they didn’t send the charges to committee.
“That’s the way we do this in America for 200 years,” he said.
Dwyer became agitated — raising his voice and talking over other delegates — and accused every lawmaker of violating their oaths for sending the articles to committee.
Del. Luiz Simmons, D-Rockville, said Dwyer was being theatrical.
“The people’s house should not be transformed into the people’s coliseum,” he said. “This should not be a dictatorship of who’s got the loudest voice and who’s got the most extreme view.”
Del. Emmett C. Burns, R-Baltimore, said he has watched the same-sex marriage debate snowball for 15 years.
“I saw it coming,” he said. “And it is here. And it is ugly.”
