A Republican lawmaker told NewsWorks he silenced an openly gay member of the Pennsylvania House on Wednesday because he was rebelling against God’s law.

State Rep. Brian Sims (D-Philadelphia) had attempted to commemorate the Supreme Court’s landmark marriage rulings during the unanimous consent portion of the House session. His speech, however, was shut down by state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) using a procedural maneuver.

ADVERTISEMENT

“I did not believe that as a member of that body that I should allow someone to make comments such as he was preparing to make that ultimately were just open rebellion against what the word of God has said, what God has said, and just open rebellion against God’s law,” Metcalfe explained to NewsWorks.

On Thursday, however, Sims took his “open rebellion against” against God a step further. He and state Rep. Steve McCarter (D-Montgomery) introduced legislation to provide civil marriage equality for same-sex couples in Pennsylvania.

“After Wednesday’s decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court, it is past time for Pennsylvania to join the 12 states – soon to be 13 because of California – and the District of Columbia that already provide this basic measure of equality and dignity to their residents,” Sims said in a statement.

Sims said he received a humbling and empowering show of support on Thursday after the session ended.

“This evening I took the podium to ask that my colleague, PA State Representative Daryl Metcalfe, be admonished for his embarrassing behaviour both on the House Floor, and in subsequent interviews throughout the day,” he said on his Facebook page. “Without asking, I was joined at the podium by the whole of the Democratic Caucus, and I’m certain there were several Republican members who stood with me in solidarity as well.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Metcalfe was not reprimanded because his comments were not made on the House floor.