Mayor Jason West will be charged for marrying gay couples

The village mayor who challenged New York law by attempting to marry gay couples will face trial, the state’s highest court ruled Friday.

New Paltz Village Mayor Jason West faces 24 misdemeanor counts of violating the state’s domestic relations law by marrying couples without marriage licenses last year. West’s defiance of a law that state officials say forbids gay marriage made the little Hudson Valley village a flashpoint in the national gay marriage debate. [...]

West was hit with the criminal charges shortly after marrying couples before a cheering crowd and dozens of reporters. He became the second public official in the nation to join same-sex couples, following San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom, helping spread the debate over gay marriage.

West faces fines and up to a year in jail if convicted on the misdemeanor counts of solemnizing marriages for couples without a license. (source)

This is one of the biggest injustices of all. Mayor West will apparently face charges for marrying gay couples. He did this because he felt it was wrong to deny gay couples equality.

I will tell you this, and I’m totally sincere and honest in saying this. If he does get sentenced to a year in jail, I would be honored to take his place and do the time for him. That may sound crazy to you, but that’s how strongly I feel about this.

You see, I wouldn’t be doing the time. I would be taking the punishment for righting a wrong. That is never wasted. You are your principles! It is always honorable to stand up for those principles. There are times in life when you have to look an injustice in the eye and say, “I will expose your for what you are. Let’s do this.”

This is one of those times. When and if Jason is sentenced, I’m going to be there

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