D.C. Passes Same-Sex Marriage — Despite Do-Over by Marion Barry

The D.C. Council passed a same-sex marriage law unanimously this week — sort of. Ex-felon and current Councilman Marion Barry voted for the legislation only to immediately object that he did not want to vote for same-sex marriage and insisted on a new vote. It passed 12-1.

It will now go to Congress where members are seeking to overturn the result. However, that would require a vote of both houses. It could put both the Democrats and President Obama in a tough political position. President Clinton and the Democrats overwhelmingly supported the Defense of Marriage Act, which bars federal recognition of same-sex marriages.

Barry called his vote a “agonizing and difficult decision” — all the more agonizing and difficult when you have to make it twice.

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