U.S. Justice Ginsburg to officiate at same-sex marriage

WASHINGTON, Aug. 30 (UPI) -- Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will officiate at the marriage of Kennedy Center President Michael M. Kaiser and economist John Roberts in Washington.

Ginsburg will become the first Supreme Court justice to officiate at a same-sex wedding when Kaiser and Roberts get married Saturday at the Kennedy Center atrium, in front of a crowd that is to include opera stars Renee Fleming and Harolyn Blackwell, Broadway stars Ron Raines and Barbara Cook, and other high profile figures in the arts and philanthropy, The Washington Post reported Friday.

Other justices have officiated at high profile weddings -- including Clarence Thomas, who did the honors when right-wing talk radio host Rush Limbaugh married his third wife, Marta Fitzgerald, at Thomas' home in 1994. Ginsburg officiated at the wedding of her son, James Ginsburg, to Lisa Brauston in 1995.

In a recent interview, the Post said, Ginsburg said officiating at the same-sex marriage is a logical next step for same-sex marriage in the United States.

"I think it will be one more statement that people who love each other and want to live together should be able to enjoy the blessings and the strife in the marriage relationship," she said.

Ginsburg said "it won't be long" before a Supreme Court justice performs another same-sex marriage -- a good bet, since Ginsburg is scheduled to perform another one in September, the newspaper said.