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A small number of Republicans on a congressional district committee tried to censure Rep. Denver Riggleman because he officiated a same-sex marriage earlier this month.

The 5th Congressional District Republican Committee went into a closed session for more than two hours to discuss the matter at a meeting on Saturday at Healing Strides horse riding center near Boones Mill.

More than two dozen committee members attended. Wendell Johnson, who represents Bedford County on the committee, tried to introduce a motion in open session to officially reprimand the first-term congressman, a Republican from Afton.

“I move that the committee censure Denver Riggleman for failing to uphold the Republican Party platform in that it states ‘marriage is between one man and one woman,’ ” the motion read.

Melvin Adams, the district committee chairman , said the motion was out of order. He said the issue was discussed in closed session, so it couldn’t be discussed in open session.

Diana Shores, who represents Cumberland County, made a motion to overrule Adams. Only four people voted in favor, so the motion failed, ending the censure effort.