A group of faith leaders on Thursday denounced efforts by social conservative organizations to oust three Iowa Supreme Court justices for their rulings on gay marriage and abortion issues.

A political action committee called Common Sense has spent almost $17,000 since August on a campaign to remove Chief Justice Mark Cady and justices Brent Appel and Daryl Hecht from the bench for their support of a 2009 ruling that established same-sex marriage in Iowa. Connie Ryan, executive director of Interfaith Alliance of Iowa, criticized the effort Thursday, accusing it of being led by "religious extremists who are intentionally misleading the public for political gain."

Retention elections for Supreme Court justices are meant to be nonpartisan and free of political influence, Ryan and others said at the press conference in front of the Iowa Judicial Building. Ryan also chairs a pro-retention coalition, Justice Not Politics, whose polling has found solid support among voters for retaining the three justices. 

"Iowans are committed to fair and impartial courts and a recognition that our judiciary is not an arena for partisan politics," Ryan said. "The Iowa Supreme Court has done great work to bring families together and ensure all Iowans have equal rights."

Retention elections for Iowa justices have become more contentious since the 2009 ruling, which prompted backlash from conservatives who argued that the unanimous ruling robbed voters of the opportunity to weigh in on the issue. Three justices were famously removed when they stood for retention in 2010.

The Rev. David Sickelka, chairperson of the interfaith alliance, said high court justices make their decisions based on the Iowa Constitution and should not be subject to removal based on a voter's religious views.

"The fact that any of us might disagree with the decision is no basis for ousting the justices that made it," he said. "It is our state's constitution that is the guide, not somebody's political views and certainly not someone's religious views. The Iowa Supreme Court does not exist to shore up any religious position on marriage or any other issue."

But Drew Zahn, communications director for The Family Leader, said it's wrong to describe voters opposed to retention as "extremists." The conservative organization's PAC donated $5,000 to the anti-retention efforts in September, and it has urged members to vote against retaining Cady, Appel and Hecht.

"This election cycle doesn't need any more name calling," Zahn said. "When did it become ‘extremist’ to expect Supreme Court justices to adhere to the constitutional limits on their own power? These three judges have trampled on the legislative process, the executive branch, and the voice of the people to advance a political agenda, and that’s why we’re urging people to vote no on retention."

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