kim davis <u+2014> the rowan county, kentucky clerk who earlier today brazenly defied the supreme court<u+2019>s order to issue marriage licenses citing <u+201c>god<u+2019>s authority<u+201d> <u+2014> has been ordered to stand before u.s. district judge david bunning on thursday and explain why she shouldn<u+2019>t be jailed and fined for her actions.









in a statement released after she refused, for the fourth time, to issue david moore and david ermold a marriage license, davis said that <u+201c>[t]o issue a marriage license which conflicts with god<u+2019>s definition of marriage, with my name affixed to the certificate, would violate my conscience. it is not a light issue for me. it is a heaven or hell decision.<u+201d>









<u+201c>i was elected by the people to serve as the county clerk,<u+201d> she continued, and <u+201c>i intend to continue to serve the people of rowan county, but i cannot violate my conscience.<u+201d> that she is an elected official has become a point of contention, because as such she can<u+2019>t be fired for refusing to abide by the supreme court<u+2019>s ruling. removing her from office would entail impeachment proceedings, which will either have to wait until the next legislative session or require the calling of a special session, which could be prohibitively expensive.









in the meantime, no one in rowan county will be issued a marriage licenses. lawyers representing the four couples who were denied licenses told the associated press that <u+201c>[s]ince defendant davis continues to collect compensation from the commonwealth for duties she fails to perform,<u+201d> they want judge bunning to <u+201c>impose financial penalties sufficiently serious and increasingly onerous<u+201d> <u+2014> but that they are not seeking for her to be jailed for contempt. the scene at davis<u+2019> office this morning was raucous, with supporters of both side lining the walkway into it and occupying the tiny building. <u+201c>praise the lord!<u+201d> yelled one, <u+201c>stand your ground!<u+201d> another demanded davis <u+201c>do your job!<u+201d> one of her supporters was her husband, who noted that his family has received death threats and warned people that he<u+2019>s a firm believer in the second amendment. <u+201c>i<u+2019>m an old redneck hillbilly,<u+201d> he warned. <u+201c>that<u+2019>s all i<u+2019>ve got to say. don<u+2019>t come knocking on my door.<u+201d> watch video via the courier-journal below.
u.s. district judge orders homophobic kentucky clerk to explain why she shouldn<u+2019>t be fined or jailed for contempt
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