Imperial County, Calif., renews gay marriage fight

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — California’s Imperial County is renewing its effort to defend the state’s gay marriage ban in a federal lawsuit.

An appeals court ruled last month that the county could not intervene as a defendant alongside the sponsors of Proposition 8.

County officials claim they are directly affected by the voter-approved law because they would be forced to perform gay marriages. But the court dismissed the request, questioning why the head elections clerk wasn’t part of the case. The Imperial County clerk at the time had declined to join.

Now the county has elected a new clerk, and Chuck Storey filed papers today seeking to join the defendants.

The move comes as the court also questions whether the Proposition 8 sponsors themselves have the right to defend the law through the appeals process.