The Ellis County Press: STATEMENT BY COMMISSIONER STAPLES ON RULING REGARDING THE DEFINITION OF MARRIAGE STATEMENT BY COMMISSIONER STAPLES ON RULING REGARDING THE DEFINITION OF MARRIAGE ================================================================================ Editor on 10/02/2009 10:09:00 AUSTIN - Texas Agriculture Commissioner Todd Staples made the following statement regarding a Dallas judge's ruling that Texas' definition of marriage is unconstitutional: "Judges should not legislate from the bench," said Todd Staples, Texas Agriculture Commissioner and Senate sponsor of the constitutional amendment defining marriage as one man and one woman. "Texas voters overwhelmingly adopted this provision as a part of our state constitution. Throughout the U.S., states have voted to protect the definition of marriage as between one man, one woman. Texans should be outraged a single judge has undermined the citizens of the state of Texas. Our state's constitution is for the people, by the people. It is our constitution which guides the bench - not the bench that guides the constitution."