Judge Stops Louisiana Governor From Promoting LGBTQ Rights ... For Now

Fr. Mark Hodges : Dec 20, 2016
LifeSiteNews.com

"We do not live under a King in Louisiana; we have a Governor, an independent Attorney General, an elected Legislature, and a Court system who are all involved in governance along with others. Governor Edwards must live within the Constitution." -Attorney General Jeff Landry

(Baton Rouge, LA)—[LifeSiteNews] A judge struck down Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards' executive order decreeing the anti-discrimination laws throughout the state must include "sexual orientation," "gender identity," and transgenders. (Photo via LifeSiteNews.com)

Justice Todd Hernandez of the 19th Judicial District Court agreed with Attorney General Jeff Landry, who filed the lawsuit, that the governor was overstepping his executive branch powers in bypassing the Louisiana legislature by executive fiat. State lawmakers have repeatedly defeated bills similar to Edwards' executive order.

Judge Hernandez explained that the governor's executive order "is in violation of the Louisiana Constitution's separation of powers doctrine and an unlawful usurp of the constitutional authority vested only in the legislative branch of government."

The judge further clarified that such a move on the part of the executive branch "creates new and/or expands upon existing Louisiana law, as opposed to directing the faithful execution of existing laws of this state (which is) the authority granted to the office of the Governor to issue executive orders."

Gov. Edwards also rescinded a religious freedom protection order by former Gov. Bobby Jindal that prohibited persecution against Christians who run their business according to their sincerely held belief that marriage is between one man and one woman.

Gov. Edwards said he will appeal Judge Hernandez' decision. His executive order made him the first governor in the U.S. to create transgenders as a special class included in state anti-discrimination laws.

Gov. Edwards, a liberal Democrat, has engaged in a high-stakes, statewide battle against Landry over LGBTQ "protections," which many Christians believe allow the government to legally but unconstitutionally persecute citizens whose religious convictions did not agree with homosexual "marriage"...

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