Iowa official accused of gay marriage fraud
A county deputy clerk of court in Iowa's Grundy County, Brigette Van Nice, is accused of falsifying information on a public record in an effort to legalize the marriage of two Florida men that never occurred, the Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier reports. The men never actually traveled to Iowa, one of six states where gay marriage is legal, for the ceremony, investigators say.
She's on paid administrative leave and was charged with two counts of forgery and one count of perjury, Class D felonies, the newspaper reports.
Here's a look at the gay marriage laws in the 50 states.
Gay marriage is on the ballot in four states this year: Maryland, Maine, Washington and Minnesota. Same-sex supporters may have an edge in fundraising in those states, NBC reports. But same-sex marriage advocates have outraised their opponents in many previous state ballots – and lost in every case.