Reaction To Kentucky Clerk Denying Marriage Licenses

As Kentucky Public Radio’s Ryland Barton reports, Davis, who has become a divisive figure in the national debate on same-sex marriage, has been summoned to a federal court on Thursday for a hearing on whether to hold her in contempt.

Davis maintains her appeals to the Constitution, the founding fathers, and God.

Sure. Six couples. 4 of them – two straight couples and two homosexual couples – teamed up with the American Civil Liberties Union for one lawsuit.

Andrew Wannemacher, Miami County’s Juvenile & Probate Courts administrator, said his probate court has not had to deal with staffers who have issues complying with the Supreme Court’s decision because of conflicts with their faith-based beliefs.

Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis is trying yet another legal avenue to try to keep from issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples a day before she’s due in court to answer for her refusal.

Yet none of these contortions is required by the 1st Amendment or Kentucky’s Religious Freedom Restoration Act – any more than they would be if a clerk had a honest religious objection to issuing a marriage license to interracial couples.

Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis was divorced three times and had children out of wedlock before experiencing a religious awakening that cemented her obedience to Christian scripture – and her defiance of the country’s highest court.

But Davis has refused to obey that order even though it was upheld by the U.S. Supreme Court. And because she was elected, she can not be fired from her job, only removed by impeachment.

As long as the same-sex marriage ruling is considered constitutional, Davis can not legally refuse same-sex couples marriage licenses while she works in a government position in a government building.

Some counties also said that in preparation for the Supreme Court decision, they made their marriage applications gender neutral.

Kentucky law requires marriage licenses to be issued by county clerks, and the state prescribes the form, which includes the name of the county and the clerk.

“She may continue to attend church twice a week, participate in Bible study and minister to female inmates at the Rowan County Jail”, Bunning said in the opinion.

In front of a mob of reporters Davis still denied their request citing “God’s authority”.

“If people want to change things, push too hard, they’re actually going to make things worse”, added Paul, a 2016 GOP presidential candidate”.

“There are other couples that will come to get a marriage license where we may not feel that it is a wise choice”.

He thinks South Carolina should follow the lead of North Carolina and pass a law giving magistrates and clerks legal protection in cases.

Davis will appear before the judge Thursday along with several of her employees. This is a job she voluntarily signed up for.