Over three hundred republican lawmakers, operatives, and consultants, have filed an amicus brief, or friend of the court brief, asking the United States Supreme Court to recognize gay marriage nationwide. The brief states that lack of a nationally defined right to same sex marriage is unconstitutional because it does not provide necessary equal protection and due process. The brief clearly states that equal protection, guaranteed by the constitution, must be upheld to ensure equality..

Of the many signatories is senior Senator Susan Collins of Maine, Governor Jon Huntsman of Utah, former Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman, Rudy Giuliani, former Mayor of the city of New York, Representative Robert Dold of Illinois, Representative Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida, Representative Carlos Curbelo of Florida, and Governor Charlie Baker of Massachusetts, and retired General Stanley McChrystal.

Lawmakers Ask Supreme Court to Recognize Marriage Equality

Ken Mehlman attempted to seek the same equal protections in 2013, when he gathered some 131 signatures in support of the friend of the court brief, but it fell short. Mehlman now believes that as consensus by the public at-large has grown ever more accepting and supportive of same sex marriage, it is time to ask the Supreme Court to officially adopt a position that will effectively end individual state fiats against gay marriage. The former operative first sought gather support for marriage equality after Proposition 8 in California was struck down.

“More than 300 veteran Republican lawmakers, operatives and consultants have filed a friend of the court brief at the Supreme Court in support of same-sex marriage. The amicus brief, organized by former Republican National Committee Chairman Ken Mehlman, was filed for the four same-sex marriage cases the Court will hear on April 28 that could legalize the unions nationwide.” —Time

The movement to seek equality has gained much momentum over the years and now, there are some 37 states, as well as the District of Columbia, nationwide which recognize same sex marriage. By contrast, there are only 13 states where gay marriage is banned, but in those states, there are movements to overturn said bans. In January of this year, Florida was added to the list of the thirty-seven states that have legally adopted same sex marriage.

The amicus brief specifically asks the Supreme Court to render a decision to strike down bans on gay marriage in Tennessee, Ohio, Kentucky, and Michigan. The brief argues that such bans are not constitutional and that the ultimate arbiter of the law ought to render a ruling that gives all citizens the same legal protections.

The United States Supreme Court has responded by scheduling oral arguments to take place on April 28th. In that session, the court will hear arguments against the bans on same sex marriage in the states of Ohio, Tennessee, Michigan, and Kentucky. The outcome of these oral arguments could bolster the laws in the thirty seven states which now officially recognize gay marriage, while striking down bans in the thirteen states where same sex couples do not have equal rights. By June of this year, the country could well undergo a watershed moment as same sex couples are given national equality to marry and enjoy the same protections as heterosexual couples.