D.C. Council member and mayoral candidate Muriel Bowser (D-Ward 4) says she will perform a wedding Saturday for her gay campaign manager and his partner.
“This Saturday, my campaign manager, Bo Shuff, will marry the love of his life, Sean Farrell,” Bowser said in a statement released by her campaign. “A little while ago, Bo and Sean asked me to officiate their wedding. I am honored by their request, and I can’t wait to share in their joy.”
Shuff, who has worked on political campaigns in various parts of the country before moving to D.C., is credited with helping Bowser win the city’s hotly contested Democratic mayoral primary on April 1. He’s continuing as Bowser’s campaign manager for the November general election.
Shuff told the Blade on Thursday that the wedding will take place at a D.C. hotel and is limited to family and friends. He said he and Farrell chose to get married on the occasion of their 12th anniversary as a couple.
D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray and at least two other Council members – Jack Evans (D-Ward 2) and Tommy Wells (D-Ward 6) have performed same-sex weddings since a recently enacted D.C. law that authorizes the mayor and members of the Council to perform weddings took effect last year.
Council member David Catania (I-At-Large), one of Bowser’s two main rivals in the November mayoral election, was the author and lead sponsor of the 2009 legislation that legalized same-sex marriage in D.C.
In her email message announcing she would be performing Shuff and Farrell’s wedding Bowser called on supporters to make a contribution to the LGBT group Freedom to Marry, which has coordinated efforts on behalf of marriage equality throughout the country.
“I only wish the District had votes in Congress so we could voice our support for marriage equality at the federal level,” Bowser said. “One thing we can do, however, is support organizations like Freedom to Marry who are fighting for marriage equality in courtrooms across our country.”
Wishing Sean and Bo a long, happy and healthly life together.
Congratulations Bo and Sean
I second that Congrats!
Finally, at long last, I can join the Bowser Campaign…
…in wishing Bo and Sean sincere congratulations on their special day.
(And if Bo’s honeymoon absence should need extending through the first week of November, there need be no debate that Muriel should agree to that.)
;)