A top Republican in Georgia has sounded an ominous warning that legalization of same-sex marriage may also lead to fraud.
Sue Everhart, chairwoman of the Georgia Republican Party, told the Marietta Daily Journal in a story published Saturday that once gay nuptials are legally permitted, there will be nothing to stop a straight person from exploiting the system in order to claim marital benefits.
“You may be as straight as an arrow, and you may have a friend that is as straight as an arrow,” Everhart said. “Say you had a great job with the government where you had this wonderful health plan. I mean, what would prohibit you from saying that you’re gay, and y’all get married and still live as separate, but you get all the benefits? I just see so much abuse in this it’s unreal. I believe a husband and a wife should be a man and a woman, the benefits should be for a man and a woman. There is no way that this is about equality. To me, it’s all about a free ride.”
Everhart also expressed a distaste for homosexuality, which she argued is unnatural.
“Lord, I’m going to get in trouble over this, but it is not natural for two women or two men to be married,” Everhart said. “If it was natural, they would have the equipment to have a sexual relationship.”
Brian Keahl, executive director of the Georgia GOP, told TPM on Monday that he hadn’t seen Everhart’s comments and would have to confer with the chairwoman before commenting. When TPM followed up later in the morning, a man at the Georgia GOP said the group has “no comment at this time” before refusing to provide his name and hanging up.
This post has been updated.
