Utah gay marriages will be recognized by federal government, attorney general says
The federal government will recognize marriages performed in Utah after a judge struck down the state’s same-sex marriage ban, Attorney General Holder said Friday, noting that the newly-wedded gay couples “should not be asked to endure uncertainty regarding their status” as the legal challenges unfold.
Holder’s announcement comes two days after Utah ordered its state offices not to do anything that would acknowledge the more than 1,000 same-sex marriages performed in the state over a nearly three-week period following a federal judge's decision to strike down the ban on Dec. 20.
The Supreme Court ordered a stay on those weddings on Monday while the state challenges the judge’s ruling.
"I am confirming today that, for purposes of federal law, these marriages will be recognized as lawful and considered eligible for all relevant federal benefits on the same terms as other same-sex marriages," Holder said. “These families should not be asked to endure uncertainty regarding their status as the litigation unfolds.”
http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2014/01/10/22255660-utah-gay-marriages-will-be-recognized-by-federal-government-attorney-general-says?lite