The top Republican in the Iowa House says he’d vote against impeaching the four justices on the Iowa Supreme Court who joined the 2009 ruling which paved the way for same-sex marriage in Iowa.
Five House Republicans filed resolutions on Thursday, outlining proposed articles of impeachment against the four justices. The three other justices who were part of the court’s gay marriage ruling were voted off the court in last November’s retention election.
In a written statement, House Speaker Kraig Paulsen of Hiawatha said he agrees “with much of the reasoning behind the impeachment resolutions” drafted by his Republican colleagues. But Paulsen said he does not consider impeachment to be the proper “remedy.”
The resolutions were referred to the House Judiciary Committee, a panel which is not scheduled to meet for the remainder of the 2011 legislative session. Paulsen, in his written statement, said he does not expect impeachment to be debated on the floor of the House. Paulsen added that if impeachment were brought before the House, he’d vote against taking that step.
The speaker’s statement concluded by saying House Republicans “remain focused on reducing government spending and lowering taxes.”