MA Gov Romney rips MA Supreme Judicial Court justices . . .

Romney Rips (Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court) Justices on Values - Says Personal Views (of Justices) Swayed (Goodridge Same-sex) Marriage Ruling

By Scott Helman, Globe Staff | November 11, 2005

WASHINGTON -- Governor Mitt Romney leveled an unusually personal attack yesterday at the Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) for legalizing same-sex marriage in Massachusetts, telling a group of conservative lawyers and judges that the justices issued the ruling to promote their values and those of "their like-minded friends in the communities they socialize in."

Though Romney has criticized the SJC's watershed 2003 decision many times before, the broadside he delivered at the Federalist Society's National Lawyers Convention in Washington, D.C., was an atypically sharp and direct attack on the four justices who found that the Massachusetts Constitution afforded gays and lesbians the right to marry.

"If a judge substitutes his or her values for those values that were placed in the constitution, they do so at great peril to the culture of our entire land," he said.

The remarks won applause from the 500 lawyers, scholars, and others who packed a ballroom to hear Romney's speech.

But the comments did not sit well with some back in Massachusetts, who said Romney's remarks were politically motivated and unfair to the justices.

. . . more at . . . http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2005/11/11/romney_rips_sjcs_justices_on_values/ (BostonGlobe headline story 11/11/05)
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