Texas Republican Who’s Been Married Five Times Continues to Fight Against Marriage Equality

by Allen Clifton

At this point, the continued Republican opposition to same-sex marriage is just sad. I’ve said it plenty of times before, this battle is over – conservatives lost. It’s no longer a matter of if same-sex marriage will become legal in the United States, but when. Sure, Republicans still keep trying to fight these judicial rulings that continue to overturn bans on gay marriage in practically every state where these laws have been challenged, but they’re just delaying the inevitable.
But the rhetoric from many conservatives surrounding same-sex marriage is what often makes me laugh the most. This nonsense about “preserving the sanctity of marriage” or that somehow gay marriage will lead to some sort of “slippery slope.”
Though I think the one argument that most often just leaves me shaking my head is that somehow same-sex marriage will destroy the sanctity of marriage. As if divorce hasn’t been doing that for years.
My favorites are the hypocrites like Newt Gingrich or Rush Limbaugh, two men who have a combined seven marriages between them who have the nerve to talk about “traditional marriage.”
But even they might not top the hypocrisy of Texas state Rep. Tony Tinderholt (R) who officially filed a complaint against the judge who allowed Texas’ first gay marriage citing a violation of statutory law.
“This judge deliberately violated statutory law and this is unacceptable,” Tinderholt said.
“This complaint and any action, which the legislature decides to take, is about ensuring that our judicial system respects the laws of our state and respects the separation of powers,” he continued. “Judge Wahlberg allowed his personal views to dictate his action and ignored state law to accomplish his desired outcome.”
You see, 41-year-old Tinderholt is on his fifth marriage. Yeah, it’s real obvious he has a deep respect for the sanctity of marriage, isn’t it?
Ultimately, Tinderholt’s complaint will be futile. First, he’s filed a complaint against the judge who performed the ceremony, not the judge who overturned the state’s ban on same-sex marriage. So that in and of itself pretty much nullifies any complaint he has against this judge.
And even once you get past that stupidity, his argument is essentially based upon the premise that the legislature is the only one with the true power to end the ban on same-sex marriage in the state. Basically he’s arguing that the state can pass whatever unconstitutional laws that it wants, and our justice system has no power to stop them.
Except, that’s not how it works – at all. This is someone with absolutely no legal background whatsoever trying to tell judges what is or isn’t legal.
But there is a massive sense of irony in an individual who’s been married five times being one of the most vocal opponents to marriage equality in Texas.
I think it’s time teabagger favorite Tony Tinderholt takes a seat and lets the adults handle this. Because not only is it clear that he’s an absolute hypocrite on this issue, but legally he has absolutely no damn clue what it is he’s talking about.