Official sued in landmark marriage case reads at gay wedding

COLUMBUS (AP) — Ohio’s health director, who refused to list a gay man as the surviving spouse on his husband’s death certificate, has delivered a Bible reading at a gay wedding.

Thursday’s nuptials in Columbus came less than a week after the U.S. Supreme Court legalized gay marriage in a case stemming from a lawsuit against health director Rick Hodges.

Hodges told the Northeast Ohio Media Group he’s been friends with one of the grooms, Steve George, for 25 years. George worked in Republican Gov. John Kasich’s administration and represented the governor on the advisory board that oversees Statehouse operations.

Kasich and wife Karen also attended the wedding as did several other top Republicans.

Kasich believes marriage is between a man and woman but declared the court’s ruling must be respected.