Anti-Marriage MD State Rep Charged With Stealing To Fund Own Wedding

Maryland state Delegate Tiffany Alston, who helped derail same-sex marriage, has been charged with embezzling money to pay for her own wedding.

Alston, 34, a little-known freshman state lawmaker before this spring, is charged with writing herself checks and cashing them to pay for at least $3,560 in expenses for her wedding day. According to the Office of the Maryland State Prosecutor, she also wrote herself checks to help pay the salary of an employee in her law firm. Alston’s wedding, attended by some fellow lawmakers and sorority sisters, was derided this spring by some gay activists. With whispers and shrugs outside Annapolis hearing rooms, some said it was ironic that so close to the celebration of her own nuptials a lawmaker reversed course and opposed letting gays marry in Maryland.

Alston, who is a Democrat, initially co-sponsored the marriage equality bill before voting against it "for my constituents." She also fled the legislative chamber in order to prevent the bill from advancing out of committee.

RELATED: Alston is one of the black legislators championed by NOM as evidence how the African-American community opposes LGBT rights.