Mayor to officiate at gay marriage

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa will officiate at his first gay marriage ceremony today at Los Angeles City Hall, his office announced.

After the state Supreme Court struck down a ban on same-sex marriage last month, Villaraigosa promised to preside at as many ceremonies as possible.

When the ruling took effect last week and other political officials were presiding over gay weddings in Los Angeles and San Francisco, Villaraigosa was in Israel on a city trip.

The marriage will join movie producer Bruce Cohen, whose films include the Academy Award-winner “American Beauty,” and art consultant Gabriel Catone.

Cohen and Villaraigosa are friends, and the producer asked the mayor to perform the ceremony, a mayoral spokesman said.

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-- Jason Song