Donald Trump’s court nominee said gay people marrying is like him marrying bacon
MIAMI, FL – OCTOBER 26: In this photo illustration, bacon cooks in a frying pan on October 26, 2015 in Miami, Florida. A report released today by the World Health Organisation’s International Agency for Research on Cancer announced that eating processed meat can lead to colorectal cancer in humans even as it remains a small chance but rises with the amount consumed. (Photo illustration by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
A top court pick by Donald Trump compared gay people’s constitutional right to marriage with a right to marry bacon.
Don Willett is nominated by President Trump for a lifetime seat on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit.
Asked by the the Senate Judiciary Committee, Willett claimed he was just joking when he made the remarks.
In April 2015 he Tweeted, “could support recognizing a constitutional right to marry bacon”.
The post came a day after the Supreme Court heard arguments in the landmark marriage equality case.
Willett was asked by the Senate hearing why senators should believe he would respect Supreme Court precedent, should he be confirmed as a federal judge, given that he compared marriage equality to cured pork.
“You’ve equated that constitutional right to same-sex marriage, which the Supreme Court has upheld, with a constitutional right to marry bacon,” Senator Leahy said.
“I don’t think one would see that as praising Supreme Court decisions.”
The Texas Supreme Court justice said the post was meant only as a joke.
Same-sex marriage
Bacon
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“That was the day after the [marriage equality] decision was issued,” he said.
“It was my attempt to inject a bit of levity. The country was filled with rancor and polarisation. It was a divisive time in the nation.”
“And you think that cut back the divisiveness?” Leahy asked, appearing frustrated. “With a comment like that?”
Willett added that he believes everyone is “entitled to equal worth and dignity,” and that he “never intended to disparage anyone.”
