Rebecca Cook/Reuters
In response to Republican Governor Rick Snyder saying Michigan won't recognize same-sex weddings that took place following a court order striking down the state's marriage law, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder said Friday the federal government will step in. “I have determined that the same-sex marriages performed last Saturday in Michigan will be recognized by the federal government. These families will be eligible for all relevant federal benefits on the same terms as other same-sex marriages," he said in a statement. He also noted that while Snyder himself has recognized that the marriages are legal, the rights and benefits from the state are pending legal proceedings. Holder was unequivocal in his statement, declaring that "Last June’s decision by the Supreme Court in United States v. Windsor was a victory for equal protection under the law and a historic step toward equality for all American families … we will remain steadfast in our commitment to realizing our country’s founding ideals of equality, opportunity, and justice for all.”