One Iowa Reacts to GOP attack on Justice Wiggins

Here's the entire August 1, press release from One Iowa:

Today the Iowa Republican Party Chairman, AJ Spiker released a statement calling on Iowa voters to oust Justice Wiggins in the November election. Justice Wiggins is the only justice up for a retention vote this year who served in 2009 when the court unanimously ruled in favor of marriage equality with the Varnum v. Brien decision.

     In 2010, largely bankrolled by out-of-state groups and led by Bob Vander Plaats, a successful campaign was waged to oust Chief Justice Marsha Ternus, and Justices Michael Streit and David Baker.

Statement from One Iowa Executive Director Donna Red Wing:

“This latest move by the Iowa Republican Party is an outrageous assault on our courts. By calling for the ousting of Justice Wiggins, they have made it clear that justice is not at the center of this campaign. Instead, it is politics at its worst.

     In 2009, the Iowa State Supreme Court honored the Constitution and made a fair and reasoned decision when they unanimously ruled in favor of the freedom to marry for gay and lesbian couples. The Iowa State Supreme Court has always valued the individual rights and equal protection of its citizens. The Varnum decision was another example of the values that Iowans hold dear: the values of fairness and justice.

     Iowa is a better place because of marriage equality. We are a state that values all families, not a state that supports a constitutional ban on marriage for loving and committed couples. We are a state that values fairness and justice, not the corrupting influence of politics and money.

Iowans deserve better than this.“