Clerk still defiant on gay marriage
A county clerk continued to refuse marriage licenses to same-sex couples in defiance of a mounting pile of federal court orders rejecting her claim that her Christian faith should exempt her from licensing a gay union.
The U.S. Supreme Court, which two months ago legalized gay marriage across the nation, will now be asked to consider whether Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis can continue to deny marriage licenses until her appeal is complete, a process that could drag out for several months.
Days after the Supreme Court’s same-sex marriage ruling, Davis announced that her religious convictions prevented her from sanctioning gay marriage. She refused to issue licenses to any couple, gay or straight.
The American Civil Liberties Union sued her last month on behalf of four couples.
U.S. District Judge David Bunning ordered Davis to issue marriage licenses two weeks ago. He later delayed that ruling until Aug. 31 or until the U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals issued a ruling. The appeals court did so on Wednesday, denying Davis’ appeal.
But a deputy clerk in Davis’ office on Thursday told William Smith Jr. and James Yates, a couple for nearly a decade, that the office believes Bunning’s delay remains in effect until Aug. 31. He refused to give his name or give them a license.
Davis has said she will not resign and pledged to never issue a license to same-sex couples.