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| Kentucky clerk due in court over gay marriage boycott | |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| A county clerk in Kentucky who has refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples based on her religious beliefs heads to court on Thursday where a federal judge could hold her in contempt for defying his order to do so. | A county clerk in Kentucky who has refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples based on her religious beliefs heads to court on Thursday where a federal judge could hold her in contempt for defying his order to do so. |
| Lawyers for Kim Davis, the elected Rowan County clerk who is an Apostolic Christian, on Wednesday asked US district judge David Bunning to temporarily block his order requiring her to issue marriage licenses while she appeals the issue. | Lawyers for Kim Davis, the elected Rowan County clerk who is an Apostolic Christian, on Wednesday asked US district judge David Bunning to temporarily block his order requiring her to issue marriage licenses while she appeals the issue. |
| Related: Kentucky clerk is one of three in county refusing to issue marriage licenses | |
| Davis has refused to issue licenses to any couples, gay or straight, since the US supreme court in June ruled that same-sex couples have the right to marry under the US Constitution. | Davis has refused to issue licenses to any couples, gay or straight, since the US supreme court in June ruled that same-sex couples have the right to marry under the US Constitution. |
| Four couples filed a federal lawsuit in July challenging her office policy not to issue licenses and Bunning in August ruled for the couples, finding that Davis had to live up to her official duties as a county clerk despite her religious beliefs. | Four couples filed a federal lawsuit in July challenging her office policy not to issue licenses and Bunning in August ruled for the couples, finding that Davis had to live up to her official duties as a county clerk despite her religious beliefs. |
| Davis has appealed against his order to the US court of appeals for the sixth circuit, which turned down her request for a stay pending appeal last week. The US supreme court on Monday also turned down her request for an emergency stay. | Davis has appealed against his order to the US court of appeals for the sixth circuit, which turned down her request for a stay pending appeal last week. The US supreme court on Monday also turned down her request for an emergency stay. |
| Davis has refused since the supreme court order this week to issue marriage licenses and same-sex couples on Tuesday filed a motion asking Bunning to hold her in contempt of court, seeking fines but no jail time. | Davis has refused since the supreme court order this week to issue marriage licenses and same-sex couples on Tuesday filed a motion asking Bunning to hold her in contempt of court, seeking fines but no jail time. |
| “To me this has never been a gay or lesbian issue,” Davis said in a statement this week. “It is about marriage and God’s word. It is a matter of religious liberty.“ | “To me this has never been a gay or lesbian issue,” Davis said in a statement this week. “It is about marriage and God’s word. It is a matter of religious liberty.“ |
| The American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky, which represents the couples seeking the contempt order, said on Tuesday the law is clear. “The duty of public officials is to enforce the law, not place themselves above it,” it said. | The American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky, which represents the couples seeking the contempt order, said on Tuesday the law is clear. “The duty of public officials is to enforce the law, not place themselves above it,” it said. |
| Related: Kentucky clerk denying licenses to gay couples has married four times | |
| Davis is represented by Liberty Counsel, a Florida-based Christian religious advocacy organization, which said in court papers on Wednesday an injunction would halt the “irreversible implications on Davis’ conscience” while she appeals the case. | Davis is represented by Liberty Counsel, a Florida-based Christian religious advocacy organization, which said in court papers on Wednesday an injunction would halt the “irreversible implications on Davis’ conscience” while she appeals the case. |
| Kentucky governor Steve Beshear, a Democrat, ordered all county clerks to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, but has no authority over Davis’ office. | Kentucky governor Steve Beshear, a Democrat, ordered all county clerks to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, but has no authority over Davis’ office. |
| The Associated Press, meanwhile, reported that Davis and judge Bunning have at least one thing in common, both having had to deal with questions of nepotism when they got their jobs. | The Associated Press, meanwhile, reported that Davis and judge Bunning have at least one thing in common, both having had to deal with questions of nepotism when they got their jobs. |
| Davis’ mother, Jean Bailey, was clerk for 36 years before retiring last year. Davis worked for her mother for 27 years before getting elected to replace her. Once elected, Davis hired her son to work for her. | Davis’ mother, Jean Bailey, was clerk for 36 years before retiring last year. Davis worked for her mother for 27 years before getting elected to replace her. Once elected, Davis hired her son to work for her. |
| Bunning is the son of Jim Bunning, a Hall of Fame pitcher for the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies who served two terms as Kentucky’s junior US senator. President George W Bush nominated David Bunning for a lifetime position as a federal judge in 2001 when he was just 35, halfway through his dad’s first term in the Senate. | Bunning is the son of Jim Bunning, a Hall of Fame pitcher for the Detroit Tigers and Philadelphia Phillies who served two terms as Kentucky’s junior US senator. President George W Bush nominated David Bunning for a lifetime position as a federal judge in 2001 when he was just 35, halfway through his dad’s first term in the Senate. |