Arnold under pressure: California Republicans ask Schwarzenegger to appeal Prop 8

By Eden James

The Sacramento Bee is reporting that Republicans in the state Assembly sent Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger a letter yesterday urging him to appeal Judge Walker’s ruling:

The 27 Republican legislators signing the letter argued that by staying out of the case, Schwarzenegger and Brown will set a precedent that officials “may pick and choose the laws which they will and will not enforce and defend.”

“(Failing to file an appeal) will have a devastating effect upon public confidence in our institutions of representative government,” the letter states. “Politics and personal belief will have been substituted for the sworn duty of our state’s highest ranking elected officials.”

You can read the full letter here (PDF).

The GOP lawmakers sent this letter on the same day that the Pacific Justice Institute filed a petition in California state court, attempting to force Gov. Schwarzenegger and Attorney General Jerry Brown to defend Prop 8 in court.

The good news is that Arnold isn’t caving, apparently:

Schwarzenegger spokesman Aaron McLear said the governor “has been and will remain neutral in this case.”

“The court will determine whether or not the interveners can appeal,” he wrote in an e-mail.

Check out the Sac Bee link for a quote from Courage Chair Rick Jacobs. If more develops, we’ll update the post.