Men could marry horses, warns US official

By Justine Thompson

General news

16 March 2010 14:05

A state official in Arizona USA is in trouble for saying that new laws could allow people to marry horses.

The Former Republican J D Hayworth was expressing his view that moves to expand the marriage laws to allow gay weddings were too broad.

In an interview with a radio station in Orlando he said: "You see, the Massachusetts Supreme Court, when it started this move toward same-sex marriage, actually defined marriage - now get this - it defined marriage as simply, 'the establishment of intimacy.'"

"Now how dangerous is that?" asked Hayworth, who is challenging Sen. John McCain from the right in Arizona's GOP Senate primary.

"I don't mean to be absurd about it, but I guess that would mean if you really had affection for your horse, you could marry your horse."

The former Republican congressman insisted that the "only way" to prevent men from marrying horses would be to create a federal marriage amendment. He has since been ridiculed for his accusations.