Colorado's largest county, Denver
County, will begin issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian
couples.
“FINALLY! We can issue #marriage
licenses to ALL loving couples here in #CO,” Denver County Clerk
Debra Johnson tweeted Thursday. “Our office will be issuing
licenses till 4:30pm today #equality.”
Johnson decided to move forward after a
Colorado judge ruled that Boulder County Clerk Hillary Hall can
continue issuing marriage licenses to gay couples, though District
Court Judge Andrew Harman said the validity of the licenses remains
in question.
(Related: Colorado
judge allows Boulder clerk to keep issuing marriage licenses to gay
couples.)
Denver Mayor Michael Hancock told The
Denver Post that he backed Johnson's decision.
“I fully support Clerk and Recorder
Debra Johnson in her issuing of marriage licenses to gay and lesbian
couples who simply want the freedom to be united with the ones they
love,” Hancock said. “I stand proudly with her as we take
another step toward marriage equality for every single resident of
this great city.”
UPDATE: At 2:35 PM local time, Johnson
tweeted a photo (above) of a couple along with the caption, “History
in the making.”