Obergefell v. Hodges

Delaware lawmakers passed a constitutional amendment enshrining same-sex marriage after an initial House failure. The Senate approved the measure 16-5 in June 2025, ensuring marriage rights cannot be denied based on gender or other protected characteristics. Delaware allowed same-sex marriage in 2013, but concerns remain about potential Supreme Court reversals on gay rights.

On June 26, 2015, the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide in the Obergefell v. Hodges decision, ruling state bans violated the Fourteenth Amendment's due process and equal protection clauses. The article also notes other historical events occurring on June 26, including the UN charter signing in 1945 and the Berlin Airlift beginning in 1948.

A proposed constitutional amendment to codify same-sex marriage in Delaware failed in the House, with 24 yes votes, 3 no votes, and 14 members not voting. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Claire Snyder-Hall, aimed to protect marriage rights from being denied based on characteristics like race or sex. Delaware Attorney General Kathy Jennings criticized the failure as an 'appalling abdication' of duty.

Roy Moore filed an emergency application with the U.S. Supreme Court to block an 11th Circuit ruling from taking effect, seeking to preserve an $8.2 million jury award he received in a defamation case against Senate Majority PAC. The 11th Circuit overturned the jury's verdict, which found the PAC defamed Moore by falsely portraying him in a campaign ad, and Moore argues the bond guaranteeing the award may be lost if the ruling becomes final before the Supreme Court reviews it.

A campaign to pass a constitutional amendment protecting same-sex marriage in Virginia launched during Pride Month, led by Blake McDonald and Chad Stewart, a married same-sex couple. The amendment aims to replace Virginia’s existing ban on same-sex marriage with language requiring the state to recognize all marriages regardless of sex or gender.

The Department of Justice is investigating the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC) for allegedly funneling over $3 million to individuals linked to violent extremist groups like the Ku Klux Klan, contradicting its mission to combat racism. The article argues this reflects a systemic issue in advocacy organizations that manufacture crises to sustain funding and relevance, citing the Human Rights Campaign's shift to 'trans rights' after achieving same-sex marriage legalization.