BREAKING: West Virginia AG Drops Defense Of Same-Sex Marriage Ban, Gov Orders State Agencies To Comply

West Virginia Attorney General Patrick Morrisey today announced that he will no longer defend his state's constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. Gov. Earl Ray has ordered the issuing of marriage licenses.

Morrisey’s office indicates the attorney general disagrees with the Supreme Court decision, but respects that it sets legal precedent for West Virginia. “While we disagree and believe it improperly displaces state and local decision-making, we will respect it,” he said in the prepared release. “It is my duty to defend state laws that have been passed by the state Legislature and are consistent with the Constitution. We have discharged this duty faithfully.” There were no immediate details released regarding when marriage licenses will be issued to same-sex couples, although Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin issued a press release indicating he has directed state agencies to comply. “Recent rulings make it clear that laws banning same-sex marriage have been declared unconstitutional,” Tomblin said in a prepared release. “Our state is known for its kindness and hospitality to residents and visitors alike. I encourage all West Virginians—regardless of their personal beliefs—to uphold our statewide tradition of treating one another with dignity and respect.”

Time for another Wikipedia map update!

UPDATE: Lambda Legal takes a well-deserved victory lap.

“West Virginia’s same-sex couples should be able to marry immediately and we invite people to be in touch with Lambda Legal’s Help Desk if they encounter any difficulty getting a marriage license or having it respected,” [senior staff attorney Janet] Loewy added. Lambda Legal filed this lawsuit in October 2013 on behalf of three same-sex couples and the child of one couple, arguing that West Virginia’s marriage ban unfairly discriminates against same-sex couples and sends a purposeful message that lesbians, gay men, and their children are undeserving of the legal sanction, respect, protections, and support that different-sex couples and their families are able to enjoy through marriage. The plaintiffs include: Nancy Michael, 45, and Jane Fenton, 43, together for 16 years, and their six-year-old son, Drew; Casie McGee, 30, and Sarah Adkins 32, together for more than three years; and Justin Murdock, 32, and William Glavaris, 31, together for more than two years.