Firm hired by GOP ends work on banning marriage equality

A law firm hired by Republicans is dropping its work defending the federal ban on marriage equality amid criticism by advocacy groups.

King & Spalding chairman Robert Hays Jr. said that the Atlanta-based firm had filed a motion to withdraw from its involvement in fighting challenges to the federal Defense of Marriage Act [DOMA].

The Republican leadership of the U.S. House had retained one of the firm’s lawyers after the Obama administration directed the U.S. Justice Department to stop defending the law in court. Several gay rights groups had planned a news conference to protest the firm’s involvement in the case.

[via AP]