WASHINGTON — The former attorney general of Georgia, Mike Bowers, on Tuesday released a scathing seven-page memo detailing why proposed religious freedom legislation in the state "is deserving of a swift death."
BuzzFeed News, which reported on Bowers' plans over the weekend, obtained a copy of his full memorandum on Tuesday. Bowers, who defended the state's sodomy ban when attorney general, was to announce his conclusions about the legislation at at a 10:30 a.m. Tuesday news conference in Georgia.
Key portions of Bowers' analysis, starting with where he says the unstated aim of the legislation is to "authorize discrimination":
He then notes that the timing of the bills makes it "irrational" to accept that they are not a "inextricably intertwined" with marriage equality legalization:
Bowers notes that the legislation would apply to corporations, as well as people:
He then writes about the broad possible effects of the legislation:
He cautions that Georgia courts could interpret the bill differently than federal courts:
This is how Bowers concludes:
Read the full memo:
