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VA GOP Fails to Censure Colleague for Officiating Gay Wedding

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BOONES MILL, Va. (AP) - A group of Republicans tried but failed to censure a GOP congressman for failing to uphold the party's values by officiating a gay couple's wedding.

The Roanoke Times reports the 5th Congressional District Republican Committee held a closed session Saturday to discuss reprimanding Rep. Denver Riggleman.

Committee member Wendell Johnson then introduced a motion in open session to express formal disapproval of Riggleman's act for "failing to uphold the Republican Party platform" on same-sex marriage.

Committee chairman Melvin Adams said the motion was out of order. Committee member Diana Shores motioned to overrule Adams, but only four people voted in favor, so the motion and censure effort failed.

The Washington Post reported that Riggleman wed two of his campaign volunteers on July 14.

Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.