NY MARRIAGE UPDATE: Clerk resignation, Bloomberg contributions, Broadway weddings

While hate groups like the National Organization for Marriage are touting massive discontent and disruption throughout New York State, only one town clerk has turned in her resignation as a result of New York’s marriage equality law. The clerk who resigned is from the town of Barker near Binghamton in the Southern Tier. Even though she’s a government employee, she believes the Bible trumps state law. Gov. Andrew Cuomo had no sympathy. He said that the law is the law and state employees don’t get to pick and choose which ones to enforce. The New York Times reports that another clerk near Syracuse may resign because she expressed concern about the paperwork for processing marriage licenses for same-sex couples. The paperwork is the same as for opposite-sex couple and she has apparently not complained about that in the past.

Meanwhile, Mayor Mike Bloomberg made contributions to the campaigns of four Republicans and a Democrat who voted for marriage equality. The Democrat had voted against equality in the previous session. The donations were for $10,300, the maximum one person can donate to a state senate campaign in the state.

And some of the first same-sex weddings will be real Broadway productions. The Associated Press reports that after the July 25 production of Hair at Broadway’s St. James Theater, some couples will marry on stage. Following its 10-week run in New York, Hair will play at the Winspear in Dallas from Sept. 20-Oct. 2. Maybe they’ll do some weddings on stage here as well.

UPDATE: A town clerk in the Albany suburb of Guilderland has resigned her position as marriage officer rather than perform same-sex weddings. Rosemary Centi said she is Catholic said her faith keeps her from performing same-sex weddings. However, the tone is quite different from the resignation of the Broome County clerk. Centi said she understands that she’s bound to uphold the laws of the state and this is simply a personal decision. She has not resigned as town clerk and is running for re-election in the fall. In that position, she will continue to issue marriage licenses including those requested by same-sex couples. Two town justices will perform weddings instead.