Michigan Governor Rick Snyder said
Sunday that the state won't immediately recognize the marriages of
roughly 300 gay and lesbian couples performed on Saturday.
County clerks' offices at only 4 out of
Michigan's 83 counties opened Saturday to issue marriage licenses to
gay couples after a federal judge on Friday struck down Michigan's
2004 voter-approved constitutional amendment which limits marriage to
heterosexual couples.
(Related: Hundreds
marry in Michigan before appeals court stays gay marriage decision.)
“We are extremely sensitive to
feelings on this issue and are hoping for a swift resolution for all
involved,” Sara Wufel, spokeswoman for Gov. Rick Snyder, told the
AP in an email.
The Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals in
Cincinnati issued a temporary injunction through Wednesday, when the
court is expect to decide whether to grant a longer stay while it
considers an appeal in the case.
Wurfel said that the entire issue of
recognition is on hold for the moment.
“We are not saying that we aren't or
won't recognize the marriages that happened on Saturday, but that
we're awaiting further court or legal direction on this complex,
unusual situation,” Wurfel
said.
“Either way, this can't be construed
one way or another as not recognizing the validity of the same sex
marriages.”