Associated Press Published

Attorneys: West Virginia Clerk Apologizes to Lesbian Couple

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Attorneys for a lesbian couple say they’re receiving a public apology and $10,000 in damages from a county clerk’s office in West Virginia where they were disparaged when applying for a marriage license last year.
 
Amanda Abramovich and Samantha Brookover sued Gilmer County Deputy Clerk Debbie Allen and Clerk Jean Butcher, saying Allen told the couple while processing their application that they were an “abomination,” what they were doing was wrong and that God would “deal” with them.

 
Americans United for Separation of Church and State and the Mayer Brown law firm say the clerk’s office has promised to refrain from such treatment in the future.
 
Butcher said Wednesday that she didn’t know about the settlement and referred calls to the county’s lawyer, who didn’t immediately respond to telephone messages.