Cover photo: Anderson Design Group
Last summer I wrote up the case that the state shouldn’t be involved in the institution of marriage at all, because Davidson County Clerk John Arriola (in my hometown of Nashville, TN) was charging people an illegal $40 fee to perform marriage ceremonies. When caught by investigative journalists, Arriola doubled down twice, first by alleging that he was accepting $40 off-the-books gratuities (not fees) from newlyweds, and second by suing the news outfit who busted him for libel.
Last night, the Metro Council in Nashville censured Arriola, calling for his resignation and asking him to return the fees:
The council voted 25-5, with seven abstentions, to approve a nonbinding memorializing resolution that calls for Arriola to step down from his office, a measure the council had deferred two weeks ago.
In a separate voice vote, the council approved a resolution –– also nonbinding –– that requests Arriola refund $40 fees he charged to each of nearly 3,000 couples prior to performing their wedding ceremonies. That financial figure, according to a state comptroller’s audit, totals more than $190,000 over five-plus years.
Arriola and his attorney Bryan Lewis, present while council committees discussed the pieces of legislation earlier Tuesday, were not available for comment following the full council meeting.
(Hat tip: JR Lind)
That’s all well and good, and Arriola should be ashamed of himself for abusing his public office to extort money from people who probably didn’t know any better. But in addition to the monies Arriola ripped off of unsuspecting couples likely eager to consummate their new unions, taxpayers are now on the hook for the time the Metro Council has spent on this business, and it all could have been avoided if the city, county or state hadn’t presumed dominion over the institution of marriage in the first place. That’ll probably upset those of you who abhor gay marriage, but what I wrote in July last year still rings true: involving the state in any function of the private sector necessarily paves the way for corruption and provides people with incentives to do the wrong thing.
A non-binding resolution from the Metro Council isn’t even a slap on the wrist; it’s a whiff of a miss on an attempt to slap the wrist. John Arriola should be prosecuted for fraud, and Tennessee should get out of the marriage business.
And don’t worry, social conservatives: I think Tennessee is the last place on the planet where gay married people want to be. You’ll be safe.
Photo: 9GAG.com
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