Nassau DA Kathleen Rice To Clerks: Don't Even Think About Refusing Gay Marriage Licenses

BY CELESTE KATZ

With the state's new law making same-sex weddings legal slated to kick in on July 24, Nassau County DA Kathleen Rice is issuing local clerks a stern warning: If you refuse to issue gay couples a license, you could get seriously busted.

In a letter today, Rice points to the case of Barbara MacEwen, the clerk in the Oswego County town of Volney, who said she didn't want to sign the licenses because gay marriage is against her morals.

That's not going to fly in Nassau, Rice writes: "The Marriage Equality Act provides that an application for a marriage license cannot be denied on the grounds that the applicant parties are of the same sex and the law affords no discretion to public officials charged with granting marriage licenses.Therefore, any such refusal may be subject to criminal prosecution."

You can read the entire letter for yourself below:

Rice Letter Re: Marriage Licenses