Indiana won’t recognize last month’s same-sex ‘marriages,’ says Gov. Mike Pence
Mike Pence, member of the United States Congress. (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) All but one of the same-sex “ marriages ” performed in Indiana in a 72-hour gap where they were temporarily permitted in the state will be treated as invalid by the state per an order from Republican Governor Mike Pence . The “marriage” ceremonies took place in the interval between a lower court ruling declaring the state’s ban on gay nuptials unconstitutional, and a subsequent circuit court ruling ordering the ban reinstated pending appeal. Gov. Pence issued the order in a memorandum (PDF) on Monday, explaining that the upper court’s order means that at least for now, state law still defines marriage as a union between a man and a woman. As such, the state cannot offer marital benefits to same-sex couples. “I appreciate the confusion that has been created by different federal court decisions, but as governor I have to see to it that the state operates in a manner consistent with Indiana law,” Pence s