The office of Kim Davis, the Rowan County clerk whom a federal judge ordered to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, just turned away a same-sex couple.
Late Wednesday afternoon a federal judge ordered Kim Davis, a Kentucky county clerk, to issue marriage licenses to couples regardless of gender. Davis had refused a local same-sex couple, citing her religious beliefs. The couple, David Moore and David Ermold, joined four other couples and sued.
This morning, Moore and Ermold applied for a marriage license and were refused by a deputy in Davis’ office.
“Deputy clerk Nathan Davis says the office was advised by its attorneys with the Christian law firm Liberty Counsel to continue refusing same-sex couples as it appeals the ruling to the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals,” the AP reports.
Davis in court had claimed that signing a marriage license is equal to approving a marriage license, and thus she could not because of her religious beliefs.
But U.S. District Judge David L. Bunning strongly disagreed.
“Davis remains free to practice her Apostolic Christian beliefs,” the judge wrote in his 28-page ruling on Wednesday.Â
“She may continue to attend church twice a week, participate in Bible Study and minister to female inmates at the Rowan County Jail. She is even free to believe that marriage is a union between one man and one woman, as many Americans do,” Bunning added. “However, her religious convictions cannot excuse her from performing the duties that she took an oath to perform as Rowan County Clerk.”
Davis has filed a notice of appeal, but the court’s ruling is in effect until the judge or another court stays the ruling. Judge Bunning could rule that Davis is now in contempt of court.
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UPDATE I: 10:05 AM EDT –
“We came here as anyone should be able to do because there is an injunction,” David Moore told Mike Wynn at the Courier-Journal. “Anyone should be able to come in, walk in there and get a marriage license.”Â
Moore said he also attempted to obtain the paperwork from the county judge-executive but was turned away.
Since the American Civil Liberties Union is fighting the legal case, it’s up to them if they want to seek a contempt of court charge, Moore said.
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EARLIER:
Video Of Kentucky Clerk Denying Same-Sex Couple Marriage License After Cops Called Goes Viral
Attorneys Liken Clerk Who Won’t Issue Same-Sex Marriage Licenses To Wartime Conscientious Objector
Clerk Sues Governor, Claims Her Religious Liberty Was Violated When He Told Her To Do Her Job
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Image by Mike Wynn via TwitterÂ