New York mayor charged over same-sex weddings

West could face a maximum penalty of a year in jail, or a fine of up to $500.

The 26-year-old Green Party mayor said that he would plead not guilty at his court hearing today and that he would still go through with his plans to marry as many as two dozen gay couples Saturday.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/2001870058_mayor03.html

NEW PALTZ, N.Y. (AP)--A second New York mayor said Wednesday he will start marrying gay couples and plans to seek a license himself to marry his same-sex partner.
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Nyack Mayor John Shields will join the New Paltz mayor, Jason West, in issuing the licenses. West vowed to go ahead with up to two dozen same-sex weddings this weekend, despite being charged with 19 criminal counts and possibly facing jail time for marrying gay couples.

Shields told The Associated Press he will start officiating at weddings of same-sex couples as early as this week and planned to join other gay New Yorkers in visiting municipal clerks' offices Friday seeking marriage licenses.

West married 25 gay couples on Friday, making this small college village 75 miles north of New York City another flash point in the national debate over gay marriage. More than 3,400 couples have been married in San Francisco; West now has about 1,000 couples on a waiting list.

Meanwhile, about 50 people lined up outside the marriage office in Portland, Ore., early Wednesday after a county commissioner there said she would begin issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/news/ap/ap_story.html/National/AP.V6884.AP-Gay-Marriage.html