House Speaker John Boehner has hired King & Spalding, Washington, D.C. office partner Paul Clement to defend the Defense of Marriage Act. Boehner and Republican House leaders announced plans last month to defend the law in court after the Obama administration declined to do so, citing that they believe the law is unconstitutional. That move followed Attorney General Eric Holder's February announcement that the Department of Justice would also no longer defend DOMA, the 1996 law that defines marriage as a legal union between one man and one woman. 

Clement becomes the second former solicitor from the Bush era to weigh in on the same-sex marriage debate. The first, of course, was Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher partner Theodore Olson, who famously sided with same-sex marriage advocates. He joined with former Bush v. Gore foe David Boies to challenge California's ban on same-sex marriage.

Clement's decision to defend the discriminatory and unconstitutional Defense of Marriage Act is a slap in the face to all same-sex couples in the United States.  As stated by Human Rights Campaign president, "King & Spalding was not required to take up this defense and should be ashamed of associating themselves with an effort to deny rights to their fellow citizens,".

TAKE ACTION NOW! Tell King & Spalding to Stand on the right side of history, don't defend DOMA!