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Anti-Gay Clerk In Hot Water As Judge Summons Her To Contempt Hearing

Anti-Gay Clerk In Hot Water As Judge Summons Her To Contempt Hearing

The infamous county clerk in Kentucky who refuses to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples is at it again, but this time she’s found herself on the wrong side of the law. Judge David Bunning of the federal District Court has summoned her and her staff to a contempt hearing on Thursday to make their case once again- although this time, the consequences could be severe.

Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis has made a national name for herself by continuously refusing to abide by the SCOTUS marriage equality ruling. Davis stopped issuing marriage licenses to all couples in July after the high court ruled that state laws against same-sex marriage were a violation of the Constitution under the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection clause. In the days following the ruling, Davis stopped issuing all marriage licenses, because of her “Christian” beliefs.

A federal court ordered Davis to issue licenses to same-sex couples and an appeals court upheld their ruling, but the woman continued to refuse. On Friday, her attorneys at the Liberty Counsel, a non-profit Christian law firm, filed a last-ditch appeal to the SCOTUS and asked them to grant her “asylum for her conscience.” Unfortunately for the bigot, Justice Elena Kagan, who oversees the 6th district, referred the case to the full court and the court rejected to hear her case without comment.

On Tuesday morning David Moore and David Ermold, a gay couple, entered Davis’ office and for the fourth time were refused a marriage license. She told a crowd that she was going to continue to defy the courts “under God’s authority.”

The couple called the American Civil Liberties Union after they were denied and asked them to file a lawsuit asking that Davis be held in contempt of court. If a judge finds her in contempt she can face fines and even jail time.

The very foundation of our country is the separation of church and state. If someone’s beliefs make it impossible for them to carry out their job as an elected official, they do not belong in their position. The Supreme Court has ruled against her twice now — first the marriage equality ruling and now rejecting her plea — they’ve made it clear that bigotry has no place in our government and it is time for her to go, and time for everyone else in this nation to understand that they must follow the rule of law, no matter which irrelevant presidential candidate tells them otherwise.

 

Colin Taylor
Opinion columnist and former editor-in-chief of Occupy Democrats. He graduated from Bennington College with a Bachelor's degree in history and political science. He now focuses on advancing the cause of social justice and equality in America.

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