Craig Northcott is the District Attorney for Coffee County, Tennessee and a self-proclaimed “good Christian man.” But he may soon be without a law license after spouting off his homophobic beliefs at a religious conference and then doubling down on them later.
A letter signed by over 330 lawyers is urging the Tennessee Board of Professional Responsibility to issue an emergency suspension of Northcott’s law license after he was caught on video telling a religious conference that he doesn’t believe the state’s domestic violence laws apply to LGBTQ people because he doesn’t recognize their relationships as being valid.
“So, what do I do with domestic assaults?” Northcott said on the tape. “On one hand, I don’t prosecute them because I don’t recognize it as marriage. On the other hand, if I don’t prosecute him, then the sinner, the immoral guy, gets less punishment. I say, ‘There’s no marriage to protect.’ So I don’t prosecute it as domestic [assault].”
In response to the leak, Northcott put out a statement saying he personally believes the laws are intended to “promote and protect the sanction of the institutions of marriage and family.”
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“I assume that two adults who live together that are of the opposite gender are involved in a marital-type relationship absent some other relationship that suggests otherwise,” Northcott wrote.
Evidently, he didn’t get the memo about the Supreme Court ruling on same-sex marriage back in 2015.
Northcott then tried arguing that, really, he’s honoring LGBTQ people’s wishes, writing, “In fact, my intent was in part to honor what I know has been the desire of the LGBTQ community–keeping the government out of their bedrooms.”
Tennessee’s domestic violence laws apply to any people who live together, regardless of whether they have a sexual relationship. This includes roommates, siblings, house guests, etc.
“Mr. Northcott’s written reply to the complaint removes all doubt as to his current defiance of the rule of law and intent to further engage in conduct beneath the decency required of our profession along with raising serious questions as to his competency and fitness to practice,” the five-page letter, which was delivered to the Board yesterday, reads.
It continues: “Any attorney who believes he has the power to ignore the decisions of the United State Supreme Court is in violation of his oath and is disqualified from the practice of law.”
The letter also calls out things Northcott has posted on Facebook, including describing Islam as an “evil” religion and comparing it to the Ku Klux Klan and suggesting only true Christians deserve constitutional rights.
“There are no Constitutional rights. There are God given rights protected by the Constitution,” the DA wrote. “If you don’t believe in the one true God, there is nothing to protect. No one other than God has given us any rights.”
Northcott argues that the remarks are based on his religious beliefs and are, therefore, protected under the First Amendment.
1898
“Northcott argues that the remarks are based on his religious beliefs and are, therefore, protected under the First Amendment.”
well that’s a complete straw-man because no one ever said he can’t speak or write his beliefs
however, as district attorney, he has a legal and ethical duty to put his personal feelings aside and uphold the law — the actual written law, not the law of his chosen religion
TheMarc
Exactly! Well said!
dinard38
Amen!!!!
PLAYS WELL WITH OTHERS
Your BELIEFS as a member of a religion you CHOSE to belong to do not trump my RIGHTS as a citizen of the United States…
J W G
It’s always assholes like this who get eventually outed in some glory hole sex club with a bottle poppers and a vile of meth.
dmi210
Ah! Poppers in the bath house. I remember the days. Fun times!
Donston
That’s the persistent issue with so many of these megalomaniac white men in power. Quite a few enjoy dick, men butt, drugs, “queer” parties and gatherings. But there’s frequently a line drawn when it comes to actually respecting gay-identifying people and seeing gay partnerships as anything near equal to hetero.
jaack
This is the guy in the bathhouse with a fist up his hungry hole looking to take on all “cummers” and a pair of pink panties around his ankles. Then goes to pray for those sinners who don’t believe in his god. Hypocrisy seems rampant in this part of the country where the guilt is shoveled from the Fox News and the pulpits The same places where little boys and girls learn about sex from the pastors first hand.
greybat
Hey, Straight Pride Parade! We found you your Ribbon Guard Captain!
That pink-and-blue unitard should look quite fetching.
Kangol2
He doesn’t have the butchest face in the peanut gallery….
nitejonboy
May he burn in hell.
TheMarc
As this article stated, “Tennessee’s domestic violence laws apply to any people who live together, regardless of whether they have a sexual relationship. This includes roommates, siblings, house guests, etc.”
So his refusal to judiciously prosecute domestic violence charges where applicable under Tennessee law is the most important and frankly universal concern here. His bigotry neglects straight and gay victims alike; though his intended focus of attack is on gay victims. If for no other reason, he needs to removed immediately. He represents a public danger no matter what the victim’s sexual orientation is.
Also, for a DA to try to be “cute” with his “I thought that’s what they wanted…” defense is equally disturbing. This man should not only be removed from public office, but should be barred from the legal profession, period.
MichaelannD
I agree, he should be fired, impeached, whatever. His bigotry makes him unfit for public office.
Hdtex
Is he single?
djmcgamester
It’s already been proven that religious opinions are only applicable in private life. As someone sword to uphold the law, his feelings are irrelevant. If he doesn’t like it, he ought to resign.
TomG
This guy needs to be removed from office because justice is supposed to be blin=d and apparently he is prejudiced.