Boehner to Defend Gay Marriage Ban

One step forward for gay marriage—and now House Speaker John Boehner wants to take one step back. The Republican leader said Friday he would fight for the Defense of Marriage after President Obama abandoned the effort, creating a legal advisory group to move ahead to defend the law. “It is regrettable that the Obama administration has opened this divisive issue at a time when Americans want their leaders to focus on jobs and the challenges facing our economy,” Boehner said in a statement. The White House said last month it would no longer defend in court the Defense of Marriage Act. Boehner countered that “the constitutionality of this law should be determined by the courts” and “not by the president unilaterally.”