The Maryland attorney general takes a step in the direction of gay marriage
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL of Maryland does not have the power to legalize same-sex marriage; the legislature almost 40 years ago determined that “only a marriage between a man and a woman is valid in this state.” His opinions do not carry the weight of law; only legislative pronouncements and court rulings do.
What he can do is provide an authoritative reading of what the law commands. That is what Maryland Attorney General Douglas F. Gansler (D) has done in concluding that same-sex marriages performed in other jurisdictions may — and should — be recognized under Maryland law. In the process, he has produced a legal compass that should be followed to provide overdue equality for gay and lesbian couples in Maryland.
