And the campaign to oust the fourth Iowa Supreme Court Justice who ruled in favor of same-sex marriage is off. Three justices, Marsha Ternus, David Baker and Michael Streit, were ousted in 2010 after an unprecedented majority voting no on retention. A.J. Spiker, the Chairman of the Republican Party of Iowa called on voters to remove Justice David Wiggins from office. He said in a statement released this morning:
The Republican Party of Iowa believes we must be a state based on laws and not the whims of unelected activist judges attempting to impose their personal views on the public. The people of Iowa are tired of increasingly powerful bureaucrats arrogantly and deceitfully instituting law when they have no justification or ability to do so.
In 2010 Iowa voters chose to dismiss three activist judges who allowed their own politics to influence their obligation to uphold the Iowa Constitution. These three were among a handful of judges who chose to disregard years of legal precedent on the status of marriage and how it was to be defined. Instead of allowing the people of Iowa to decide this issue at the polls, these judges instead chose to impose their will upon the state and re-write history without weighing the merits of our laws and values. Regardless of political pressure or the state of cultural affairs at the moment, it is the people of Iowa through our elections that must be permitted to decide this important issue.
Just as Iowans successfully showed in 2010, it is again time to put a check on this power and reign in an activist judge from his position of misused authority. This is the only chance voters have to make their voice heard and we must take the opportunity to remove Justice David Wiggins from his post and show him his arrogance and disregard for the law does indeed have consequences.
On behalf of the Republican Party of Iowa, I urge all Iowans to go to the polls this November and vote "No" on the retention of Justice Wiggins. Let us make sure voters across all 99 counties send a strong message to the judicial branch and activist judges who may not fully understand the power that individual voters have within Iowa and our entire nation. Vote"No" on retaining Justice David Wiggins and help end the bullying of activist judges once and for all.
The FAMiLY Leader issued a statement that they aren’t coordinating with RPI, and they will make a major announcement on August 11 at their Leadership Summit at Point of Grace Church in Waukee.
All plans and strategies for the 2012 elections are presently under consideration, including the retention of Judge David Wiggins. Actions and strategies for the November 2012 elections will be the subject of the announcement.
The FAMiLY LEADER did not coordinate with the state GOP regarding their press release today calling on Republican voters to remove Judge David Wiggins. Bob Vander Plaats, President & CEO of The FAMiLY LEADER said, “We don’t see this merely as a Republican issue, but we see this as a freedom and constitutional issue. We fully support the Iowa GOP in their efforts to inform Iowans about the retention vote. We are hopeful that the state Democratic Party will likewise issue a statement calling for voters to remove Judge Wiggins.”
The FAMiLY LEADER, in conjunction with The National Organization for Marriage, ActRight, and Citizens United, will host The FAMiLY LEADERSHIP SUMMIT. The purpose of The FAMiLY Leadership Summit is to educate and mobilize the conservative base regarding specific issues that impact the family.
The FAMiLY Leadership Summit will be anchored by the 2008 and 2012 Iowa caucus winners, former Governor Mike Huckabee and former Senator Rick Santorum. Other speakers include New York Times best-selling author Joel Rosenberg, Dr. Laurence white, Senator Charles Grassley, and Congressman Steve King.
For more information about The FAMiLY LEADER or the event, visit our website at www.TheFamilyLeadershipSummit.com.