In Duval courthouse marriage debate, party does not predict position

Gay marriage is now legal in the state of Florida. Despite this fact, many Courthouses – including in Duval County, where Ronnie Fussell serves as the Clerk of Court – have thwarted the ruling in spirit by discontinuing courthouse weddings for both same-sex and opposite-sex couples.

The reaction to this has been relatively slow to manifest, and the two frontrunning Mayoral candidates, Republican Challenger Lenny Curry and Democratic Incumbent Alvin Brown, have essentially given approval to the move. As the Times-Union reported, Curry believes that it is Fussell’s “responsibility to manage the functions of the office in the way he feels empowered by the men and women who elected him.” Brown, meanwhile, opined that the decision was Fussell’s “discretion.”

Though the two frontrunning Mayoral candidates present what is essentially a united front on this issue, dissident elements in both parties take issues with their apparent standard bearers.

Earlier today, the Duval County Democratic Party hand delivered a letter to Ronnie Fussell’s office calling on the Duval County Courthouse to resume the practice of courthouse wedding ceremonies. Cessation, in the eyes of the Duval Democrats, “is a disservice to the citizens of Duval County… is meant to discriminate and is against the law.”

Citing Florida Statutory Law, the Duval Democrats argue that the “unilateral action” taken by Fussell was “meant to circumvent the Constitutional rights of the LGBT” community. The remedy sought: a return to “normal operations of the Courthouse.”

This action, in concordance with a planned petition movement by at least one group of activist Dems, suggests that there is a grassroots movement in the local Democratic Party to challenge Fussell’s action. The Alvin Brown administration, however, is not moved. David DeCamp, Mayor Brown’s Communications Director, referred this writer to the quote in the Times-Union.

Less taciturn on this issue: Bill Bishop, who believes, regarding ceremonies, that Fussell should “make them available.”

“This is a hundred year plus tradition”, he said, referring to courthouse weddings in Duval County, and this tradition should not be disposed of in a “spiteful way”.

“Whether you agree with homosexual marriage or not is not the point,” Bishop continued, adding that “shutting this down is punishing everybody in the city” because of an “emotionally charged issue”.

Bishop agrees with the Duval Democrats that Fussell overstepped his boundaries.

“This could be an equal accommodations issue,” the Councilman said. “You can’t say that one class of people can use the courthouse for wedding ceremonies, then say that others can’t. A stroke of the pen,” he added, “negates a century of freedom.”

Bishop believes that it is incumbent for aspirants to public office to speak on this issue. “This is a community leadership issue. People have strong opinions on it,” and “we are lesser for [Fussell’s decision].”

Bishop does not anticipate Fussell changing course without a “bigger public discussion” on the issue. What is clear from this debate: Mayor Brown is, characteristically, taking a position that is the path of least resistance. On this issue, one of vital importance to the local LGBT community, the most classically liberal position is, ironically enough, taken by a Republican officeholder.

Fussell was both called and emailed by this writer for reaction and comments; no response was offered.