Barney Frank Calls Scalia a ‘Homophobe’
U.S. Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., called Justice Antonin Scalia a “homophobe” when commenting on the possibility of a case involving gay marriages reaching the U.S. Supreme Court.
In an interview with the gay website 365gay.com, Frank was questioned about legal challenges to the Defense of Marriage Act, FOX News reports. The 1996 law says the federal government and states have no obligation to recognize same-sex marriages performed in states where they are legal.
“At some point, [the Defense of Marriage Act] is going to have to go to the United States Supreme Court,” said Frank, who is gay. “I wouldn’t want it to go to the United States Supreme Court now because that homophobe Antonin Scalia has got too many votes on this current court.”
Gays have criticized Scalia for his dissent in Lawrence v. Texas, in which the majority struck down a law barring sodomy, according to the Catholic News Service. Scalia said the majority decision represented “a massive disruption of the current social order.”
