PENNSYLVANIA: Suit Against Pro-Gay County Clerk Bruce Hanes To Be Dropped

Late last summer Montgomery County Clerk Bruce Hanes began issuing same-sex marriage licenses to Pennsylvania couples. A court soon ordered Hanes to cease and Gov. Tom Corbett waded into the fray by comparing Hanes' action to allowing 12 year-old children to marry. Corbett apologized, but by then he had joined a lawsuit against Hanes brought by the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Today that case will be dropped.

Wednesday night, Frank Custer, the Director of Communications of Montgomery County, told NBC10 that in light of the recent court ruling, Hanes would once again be allowed to issue the marriage licenses. "It is our understanding that the PA Department of Health tonight will file a "letter of no objection" with the Pennsylvania Supreme Court concerning the stay preventing Montco Register of Wills D. Bruce Hanes from issuing same sex marriage licenses," Custer said in a written release. "This should allow the Supreme Court to issue a ruling tomorrow allowing Mr. Hanes to resume issuing those licenses." After the federal judge struck down the state's same-sex marriage ban on Tuesday, Hanes said he was looking forward to having the restrictions that were implemented by the lawsuit lifted.

Hanes: "I am hopeful that the Pennsylvania Supreme Court will act swiftly to remove this last obstacle to marriage equality in Pennsylvania, and I look forward to once again issuing marriage licenses to all who seek them."