An openly gay state representative was silenced by his colleagues on the Pennsylvania House floor Thursday when he tried to comment on the Supreme Court’s ruling on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).
State Rep. Brian Sims’ (D) remarks during a part of the House session where representatives are allowed to speak openly were cut off almost immediately by a procedural maneuver. State Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R) objected to the remarks on the grounds that Sims was speaking out “against God’s law.”
“I did not believe that as a member of that body that I should allow someone to make comments such as he was preparing to make that ultimately were just open rebellion against what the word of God has said, what God has said, and just open rebellion against God’s law,” Metcalfe said, as quoted by WHYY-FM.
Sims told WHYY that Republicans approached him after the session to apologize.
Correction: This post incorrectly referred to Sims as a state senator. He is a state representative. It also incorrectly said he was censured. In fact, he was blocked from speaking by use of procedural maneuver.
