Anti-Gay Kentucky County Clerk Jailed for Refusing to Issue Marriage Licences

[Heretic]

she's been released, her original complainants now have their marriage license

She's doing it wrong, Jesus said to Love one another - not judge them.

Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis walked out of a Kentucky detention center to massive applause Tuesday after spending five days behind bars for defying a federal order that she issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. But her attorney said that Davis would continue to abide by her conscience, which cannot condone same-sex nuptials, and that all licenses issued since her incarceration were not valid.

The defiant stand seems likely to land Davis right back in jail, from where she emerged Tuesday afternoon alongside her attorney, Mat Staver, and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, who was hosting a rally in her honor. Huckabee, a former Baptist pastor, told reporters outside the detention center he’d be willing to go to jail in her place should a federal judge find she’s violated the conditions of her release.

“We cannot criminalize the Christian faith or anybody’s faith in this country,” Huckabee said.

Davis later addressed the crowd herself, walking up to the stage in tears as Survivor’s “Eye of the Tiger” played on loudspeakers. Huckabee and Staver stood on either side of her, victoriously holding her hands up in the air.

“I just want to give God the glory,” Davis said. “We serve a living God who knows exactly where each and everyone stands. Keep pressing, don’t let down because he is here. He is worthy.”

RELATED: Kentucky clerk jailed for contempt

Earlier Tuesday, U.S. District Judge David Bunning – the same judge responsible for putting Davis behind bars – authorized her release pending her office’s continued compliance with an August order that she issue marriage licenses to all eligible applicants. Davis had stopped granting marriage licenses to both gay and straight couples since the U.S. Supreme Court decided in June to make marriage equality the law of the land.

Since plaintiffs in the case have been able to receive marriage licenses from Davis’ deputies, Bunning said he was satisfied the clerk’s office was complying with his order to issue the licenses.

“On September 8, 2015, Plaintiffs filed a Status Report at the Court’s behest,” Bunning wrote in his order Tuesday. “According to the Report, Plaintiffs have obtained marriage licenses from the Rowan County Clerk’s Office. The Court is therefore satisfied that the Rowan County Clerk’s Office is fulfilling its obligation to issue marriage licenses to all legally eligible couples, consistent with the U.S. Supreme Court’s holding in Obergefell and this Court’s August 12, 2015 Order. For these reasons, the Court’s prior contempt sanction against Defendant Davis is hereby lifted.”

Tuesday’s release order came as Republican presidential candidates Ted Cruz and Huckabee headed to the Carter County Detention Center to meet with Davis and potentially score points with social conservative voters.

Cruz, a U.S. senator from Texas, pledged to do “everything in his power to ensure more Americans don’t become victim to religious persecution by the government,” an aide to his campaign told NBC News. The statement reflected Cruz’s broader strategy to run as the ultimate protector of religious freedom, which the White House hopeful has consistently warned is facing an assault in America. In a separate statement on Facebook Tuesday, Cruz said “Praise God that Kim Davis is being released.”

Not to be outdone, Huckabee hosted an “#ImWithKim Liberty Rally” outside the Carter County Detention Center Tuesday, following his visit with Davis. Cheers rang out as Huckabee entered the detention center with his wife in the early afternoon. He emerged a hero, walking out a few steps behind Davis. (Cruz, meanwhile, walked out of the detention center a few minutes earlier, alone.)

The case has become a lightning rod for religious freedom advocates who oppose same-sex marriage. For Republican presidential candidates, it has presented an opportunity to court evangelical voters and break away from the crowded field.

“She has ignited something across this country,” Huckabee told reporters Tuesday. “People are tired of the tyranny of judicial action that takes people’s freedoms away, takes their basic fundamental constitutional rights and puts them in jeopardy, and the tyranny of a legislative court that believes it can make up law and somehow find a way to enforce it.”

Not every Republican presidential candidate agrees, however. Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, former Hewlett-Packard CEO Carly Fiorina and South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham have all said that Davis should abide by the law, not her religious beliefs.

Davis had been in jail for five days, having been found in contempt of court last week by Bunning, a President George W. Bush appointee. In August, Bunning concluded that Davis’ religious objection to same-sex nuptials was not a good enough reason for her to deny eligible couples their marriage licenses — something Davis had been doing since June, when the nation’s highest court found same-sex marriage bans unconstitutional in the landmark case of Obergefell v. Hodges. Bunning ordered her to resume issuing marriage licenses to all couples — gay and straight.

RELATED: Cruz warns of ‘war on faith’ at religious freedom rally

But Davis continued to turn away couples seeking marriage licenses, even after the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals and the U.S. Supreme Court declined to put a hold on Bunning’s order pending appeal. Citing concern that financial penalties would not be enough to secure compliance with his order, Bunning found Davis in contempt of court on Thursday and remanded her into the custody of federal marshals.

On Friday, Davis’ deputies began issuing marriage licenses to both gay and straight couples, though her attorney said those licenses were “not worth the paper they’re written on.” Rowan County Attorney Cecil Watkins, meanwhile, has said licenses issued without Davis’ approval would still be valid.

Among several appeals that Davis’ legal team has filed with the 6th Circuit, one asks for relief from Gov. Steve Beshear’s mandate that all county clerks issue marriage licenses. If Davis’ name is removed from the licenses, her attorneys said, she will not stand in the way of her deputies issuing them.

Beshear, however, maintains that only the state legislature can change the marriage licenses, and that he will not call a special session to address the matter. To do so, he said, would cost “hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayers’ money.”

Bunning said in his order Tuesday that Davis “shall not interfere in any way, directly or indirectly, with the efforts of her deputy clerks to issue marriage licenses to all legally eligible couples.” But Staver suggested such interference was likely.

“She cannot allow a license authorizing same-sex marriage to go under her authority or name,” Staver said in an interview with NBC News’ Gabe Gutierrez, ahead of Davis’ release. “That’s been her position from the beginning and that will be her position, I assume, on any subsequent occasion. She’s asking for a simple fix, a simple accommodation.”

“We’re back to square one,” he added. “She’s been released. But there has been no resolution.”

http://www.msnbc.com/msnbc/huckabee-and-cruz-visit-jailed-kentucky-clerk?cid=sm_fb_msnbc_native

[Mr. Ambien]

So basically she's gonna wind up in jail again. Hopefully they keep her there until she signs a document stating she will no longer interfere. It's amazing this cunt thinks she has more say so than SCOTUS. I hope she does try again. The longer she's in jail the more likely gay couples won't be messed with.

[Heretic]

The memes have only just begun....

[Tre Mac]

Marr

[Heretic]

Everyone here knows that I'm Christian but here's what I think.

If you can't do something in your job because it's against your "beliefs", then you should look for another job - not the other way around.

[thejazz97]

Everyone here knows that I'm Christian but here's what I think.

If you can't do something in your job because it's against your "beliefs", then you should look for another job - not the other way around.

[etsen3]

I honestly can't even understand the reasoning of her supporters. Is there any cognitive dissonance in their minds? Are they really that ignorant and brainwashed? How can anyone in a free country think that your own rights include the right to take away others' rights? Can I decide just that it's my right to rob banks, and then when I get arrested, claim I'm being persecuted?

People complain about a sense of entitlement with the current generation. But when these old-school conservative types fight so hard to prevent others from having the same rights as they do, it only shows that entitled knows no age, it only comes in different forms.

[Lionized27]

If only it were just an "opinion".. it's as if she were fired over free speech amirite?

Except her opinion is not merely an opinion, it is a decision she has made in preventing gay people from attaining marriage licenses.

She has decided to take the law into her own hands and place herself above the United States Supreme Court, and that is not her job. Such discrimination is a serious issue, which is why it went all the way to SCOTUS and was ruled in favour of gays attaining marriage equality.

Her job is not to use her position to challenge Supreme Court rulings or insert her religious views.

Absolutely on board with this viewpoint. Especially the last sentence.

[etsen3]

Just for the record, I am NOT defending her! Just realized it may sound like that. I'm not. I think she's wrong. I just think the criminal system is overcrowded.

Her actions affect many people very negatively due to the amount of power she has as an elected official, and the way she is abusing that power. I'd rather have her in jail than the thousands of people currently having their lives ruined simply because they got caught smoking weed (I would say the biggest factor in prison overcrowding is the War on Drugs - in fact it would be nice if more government officials were jailed for infringing upon constitutional rights).

[tbone909]

http://insider.foxnews.com/2015/09/08/video-kim-davis-speaks-after-release-jail

The Kentucky clerk who refused to issue marriage licenses to gay couples was released from jail today.

Kim Davis briefly spoke to a crowd of supporters outside the detention center in Grayson, Kentucky.

She was joined by Mike Huckabee, her husband, Joe, and her attorney, Mat Staver. Huckabee spoke earlier to a group of reporters, declaring that if he could, he would go to jail in Davis' place.

U.S. District Judge David Bunning ordered Davis to be released after six days, directing her not to "interfere in any way" with marriage licenses now being issued by her deputy clerks.

Davis' attorney, Mat Staver, would not specifically say what Davis will do when she returns to work. Staver maintained that Davis will not violate her conscience and that licenses issued by the deputies are not valid.

Davis was introduced by Huckabee, with "Eye of the Tiger" blaring on the speakers as she took the stage. She cried as she thanked the crowd and told them she loved them all.

"I just want to give God the glory because His people have rallied. And you are a strong people!" Davis yelled, adding that they are serving a "living God who knows exactly where each and every one of us is at."

"Keep on pressing. Don't let down. Because He is here and He is worthy," said Davis to cheers.

Huckabee followed, saying Davis courageously stood up for her religious beliefs and for the Constitution.

"Who's next? Your pastor, the head of a school? Will you be ready to take the stand even at expense to yourself?" said Huckabee

[Tortorella's Rant]

The memes have only just begun....

And that Muslim flight attendant refusing to serve alcohol. I'm easy going and all for reasonable alternatives but if you're like this witch who wants to flat out kill the entire process until she gets her way... then you need to go. I think allowing the other clerks to issue licenses without her having to sign off on them is more than reasonable. She's not "endorsing" it; she's literally in no way involved.

[Jimayo]

And that Muslim flight attendant refusing to serve alcohol. I'm easy going and all for reasonable alternatives but if you're like this witch who wants to flat out kill the entire process until she gets her way... then you need to go. I think allowing the other clerks to issue licenses without her having to sign off on them is more than reasonable. She's not "endorsing" it; she's literally in no way involved.

These cases aren't comparable actually. Reasonable accommodations are legally required. This cashier sending you to another cashier is legally a reasonable accommodation. The muslim flight attendant was also doing a reasonable accommodation by taking drink orders and then passing them off to other flight attendants to fill.

Kim Davis, being the elected official in charge of her office, shut it all down. She refused the reasonable accommodation of letting one of her deputies handle gay marriage certificates because she's an unreasonable &^@#ing bigot and that's why she ended up in jail.

[thejazz97]

Kim Davis, being the elected official in charge of her office, shut it all down. She refused the reasonable accommodation of letting one of her deputies handle gay marriage certificates because she's an unreasonable ???? bigot and that's why she ended up in jail.

If every bigot were in jail, we'd have about 10 people who would be free.

[Tortorella's Rant]

These cases aren't comparable actually. Reasonable accommodations are legally required. This cashier sending you to another cashier is legally a reasonable accommodation. The muslim flight attendant was also doing a reasonable accommodation by taking drink orders and then passing them off to other flight attendants to fill.

Kim Davis, being the elected official in charge of her office, shut it all down. She refused the reasonable accommodation of letting one of her deputies handle gay marriage certificates because she's an unreasonable ???? bigot and that's why she ended up in jail.

That's true about K.D. which is why she's going back to jail, or going to eventually resign, either works for me. Didn't know that about the attendant. I guess the airline is blowing this out of proportion? Too much crap going on day in day out in personal life and media to keep track of everything

[Mr. Ambien]

That's true about K.D. which is why she's going back to jail, or going to eventually resign, either works for me. Didn't know that about the attendant. I guess the airline is blowing this out of proportion? Too much crap going on day in day out in personal life and media to keep track of everything

For me.. she can sit in jail and rot until voters decide to replace their county clerk with someone that can be in their office doing their job. Maybe she and god can contemplate the holy prison food.

[Jimayo]

If every bigot were in jail, we'd have about 10 people who would be free.

Way to ignore the entire point.

[Jimayo]

That's true about K.D. which is why she's going back to jail, or going to eventually resign, either works for me. Didn't know that about the attendant. I guess the airline is blowing this out of proportion? Too much crap going on day in day out in personal life and media to keep track of everything

Probably. It's not proven fact, but alleged that she was reasonably accommodated for some time but then another co worker complained about the muslim and she was then canned. If so, they are &^@#ed.

[Bocivus]

If government was not involved in marriage this wouldn't happen. That would be my argument here as opposed to who is "deserving" of a license. Why should anyone have to seek a license/permit (permission) from the almighty deity known as government to get married?

[thejazz97]

Way to ignore the entire point.

I didn't, I just didn't think it needed being added to, other than the bit I quoted.

[thejazz97]

If government was not involved in marriage this wouldn't happen. That would be my argument here as opposed to who is "deserving" of a license. Why should anyone have to seek a license/permit (permission) from the almighty deity known as government to get married?

Tax reasons, I would assume.