In direct contradiction to an attorney general opinion, Harris County Attorney Vince Ryan said today that despite religious objections, judges must perform same-sex weddings if they do so for heterosexual couples and that county clerks cannot refuse to issue same-sex marriage licenses.
“It’s all or nothing,” Ryan said in a statement. “Judges and JPs are not required to perform marriages. However, if they perform marriages for anyone, they cannot legally discriminate against same-sex couples by refusing to perform only those marriages. Everyone must be treated the same under the law.”
