State A.G. Says Federal Government Not Recognizing States’ Rights

CHATTANOOGA, TN (WDEF-TV) – The Tennessee Attorney General told a Chattanooga group today that the federal government is ignoring the rights vested in each state to determine some of the most controversial issues of the day.
Herbert Slatery told the Pachyderm club that Tennessee will seek to exercise its 10th amendment rights in dealing with them.

It’s been a controversial subject since the civil war–where is the power of the federal end and states’ rights begin?
The 10th amendment says any power not vested in the federal system still belongs to the states, but the Tennessee Attorney General the feds aren’t playing by the rules.

HERBERT SLATERY, TENN. ATTORNEY GENERAL "That amendment has been eroded and eroded over the years…we are at every level trying to assert the state’s authority in a number of sitations. The same sex marriage case was essentially that".

The voters of Tennessee approved a state constitutional amendment 2 years ago barring same sex marriage. overwhelmingly

HERBERT SLATERY "Can somebody from another state ..with a marriage licensed by that state..come in and enforce their law ..force us to recognize that."

Slatery asks can the federal government enforce that law?

HERBERT SLATERY "Our position was this is a state issue..this should not be a federal issue."

On President Obama’s executive action is allowing millions of undocumented people to remain illegally in the country—-

HERBERT SLATERY "That’s another piece where then federal government is coming and saying here’s the law and here’s the effect..we don’t care about the effect on the states. We say, oh yeah? we care about the effect on the states."

And, on a subject closer to home—should the FCC decision allowing broadband service out of licensed areas trump state law?

HERBERT SLATERY "You know the question is not whether somebody ought to have broadband service, you want everybody to have broadband service ….but the issue is whether the state decides that for a municipality that is set up under state law …..the answer should be yes."

That issue may also end up in federal court.

On the question of allowing guns at a state park leased by a private group, the attorney general says the law allows the weapons in parks, regardless of the occasion.