A New Mexico county clerk has begun issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, even as several court cases challenging the legality of it are currently making their way through the state's judicial system.
Lynn Ellis, a county clerk out of Dona Ana explained that after a meticulous reading of the state's marriage laws, he could find nothing legally keeping him from distributing licenses.
"The state's marriage statutes are gender neutral and do not expressly prohibit Dona Ana County from issuing marriage licenses to same-gender couples," he told The Associated Press.
New Mexico Attorney General and current gubernatorial candidate Gary King, said he would not challenge Ellis or other county clerks that might issue marriage licenses, reversing a statement in June where had asked county clerks to refrain because of the current same-sex marriage litigation. King did mention that the licenses could be invalidated per the future decisions of the New Mexico Supreme Court. Read more
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