WASHINGTON — The government has ruled that political contributions by married gay couples should be treated the same as donations by married straight couples.
The Federal Election Commission unanimously approved two advisory opinions Thursday. The opinions were requested after the Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act last month.
One opinion allows a Senate candidate married to a same-sex spouse to use jointly-owned assets when running a campaign.
Another lets legally married same-sex couples make contributions to political candidates from the same bank account, even if only one spouse earns income.
Advocates say it’s among the first actions by the federal government to approve new rules following the Supreme Court’s decision on gay rights.
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