Representative Barney Frank (D-MA) married his partner Saturday in his hometown of Newton, Massachusetts, making him the first sitting congressman to be in a same-sex marriage.
Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick officiated the ceremony between the 72 year-old Frank and his partner, James Ready, according to a statement from the congressman's office. Frank met Ready in 2005, and the two have been seeing each other since 2007.
Many of Frank's congressional colleagues turned out for the wedding, including former Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, according to local media reports. In planning the event, Frank said he wanted to invite President Obama—who in May came out in support of same-sex marriage—but was worried the security detail would infringe on the ceremony.
"I would be flattered to have the president do that, but it would ruin the party to have the Secret Service," Frank said when asked in May if the Obamas were invited. "I’m not critical of them, but they can go take their layered protection of the president somewhere else. Not to my party."
In 2004, Massachusetts became the first state in the nation to recognize same-sex marriages following a state Supreme Judicial Court ruling that it was unconstitutional to limit marriages to only heterosexual couples.
Frank has represented Massachusetts' Fourth Congressional District since 1981, and has been openly gay since 1987. He is retiring at the end of this term.
