Judge demands that Kentucky pay the legal fees for the couples who were denied marriage licenses by county clerk Kim Davis.

Courtesy of Yahoo News:  

Two years after Kim Davis first made national headlines, her anti-marriage equality case is closed, at least for now ― but it will come at a cost to local taxpayers. 

Davis, who is the county clerk for Kentucky’s Rowan County, steadfastly refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples in the wake of the Supreme Court’s 2015 ruling on marriage equality, citing her religious beliefs. Though Davis was briefly jailed for contempt of court, she went on to become the darling of right-wing conservatives, including former Republican presidential hopefuls Ted Cruz and Mike Huckabee. 

On Friday, a federal judge awarded $222,695 in legal fees to the attorneys of four couples ― two same-sex, two opposite-sex ― who were denied marriage licenses by Davis. (The clerk briefly refused to issue licenses to all couples in 2015 as her legal troubles began to mount.) However, U.S. District Judge David Bunning ordered the state, as opposed to Davis herself, to pay the fees. 

His reasoning was simple. “Davis represented the Commonwealth of Kentucky when she refused to issue marriage licenses to legally eligible couples,” he said, according to The New York Times. “The buck stops there.”

Well that's awesome.

And it certainly sends a strong message any other religious wing nuts who feel their personal prejudices are more important than the rights of American citizens.

You know I was just thinking how long it has been since we have heard anything about this Kentucky Fried Lunatic.

Here's hoping this is the final time we ever do.

In your good news of the day, Kentucky country clerk Kim Davis might have to pay $225,000 in legal fees accrued while fighting to keep same sex couples from getting marriage licenses.

Courtesy of the Lexington Herald Leader:

The legal battle over Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis isn’t over yet. Now it’s time to pay the lawyers. 

Attorneys for the couples who sued Davis last year to get marriage licenses have asked U.S. District Judge David Bunning for an order letting them recoup $233,058 in legal fees and costs. Their lawsuit went to the U.S. Supreme Court and back, with Davis losing at every step and even going to jail for five days on contempt charges, before the Kentucky legislature made the point moot in April by changing the state’s marriage licenses to remove county clerks’ names. 

That was the outcome Davis wanted. She objected on religious grounds to the legalization of same-sex marriage by the Supreme Court, and she didn’t want her name on licenses going to same-sex couples. 

As great as this is to hear, I think we all know that Davis will not have to pay a cent.

Even IF she is forced to pay I have little doubt that right now some homophobic wingnuts are starting a Go Fund Me account to pay the whole thing off.

After all, she is what passes for a conservative hero these days.

Kim Davis removes not only her name but also the name of the county on new marriage licenses. May render them invalid.

Courtesy of Yahoo News:  

A deputy for the Kentucky county clerk who was jailed after refusing to issue marriage licenses to gay couples questioned on Friday the validity of the licenses he has issued since his boss' return. 

In a filing with the federal judge overseeing a lawsuit against Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis for not issuing marriage licenses, the attorney for deputy clerk Brian Mason said he has "some substantial questions" about the new licenses Davis altered and gave him to issue after she returned to work on Monday. 

He is concerned the licenses do not mention the name of the county. Davis has directed him to sign the licenses as a notary public, instead of as a deputy county clerk, Mason's attorney, Richard Hughes, said in the documents. 

While Davis also does not believe the licenses are valid, no one has challenged their legality in court. Both the state's governor and attorney general have said the new licenses are valid.

You know I am really tired of this lunatic. 

I think this is clearly an attempt on her part to render these licenses invalid, and though it may not work it is still defying the orders given by the judge which specifically forbade her from interfering in the issuance of these marriage licenses.

Personally I hope that the judge finds her in contempt of a court order and has her arrested again.

And I further hope that those Oath Keeper assholes try to interfere on her behalf, because I happen to know that law enforcement is ready for them.

Kentucky clerk Kim Davis back at work, still defiant.

Courtesy of NPR:

Flanked by Rowan County Sheriff's deputies and her son, Nathan, Davis said she loves God and her job but won't authorize the issuing of marriage licenses to gay couples. 

"I am here before you this morning with a seemingly impossible choice, which I do not wish on any of my fellow Americans," she said. "My conscience or my freedom." 

"My conscience or my ability to serve the people that I love," Davis said, choking back tears. "Obey God or a directive that forces me to disobey God." 

Her decision was clear, she said: "Effective immediately, and until an accommodation is provided, by those with the authority to provide it, any marriage license issued by my office will not be issued or authorized by me." 

"I love my deputy clerks and I hate that they have been caught in the middle. If any of them feels that they must issue an unauthorized license to avoid being thrown in jail, I understand their tough choice and I will take no action against them," Davis said, but added: "Any unauthorized license that they issue will not have my name, my title or my authority on it. Instead, the license will state that they are issued pursuant to a federal court order."

Davis is asking the Governor to change the guidelines and allow marriage licenses for gay couples to  be issued under the "generic authority of the state," meaning I suppose that she would not have to have her name attached to their marriage licenses.

So to be clear Davis is still not complying with the law, and is instead simply not stopping the issuance of marriage licenses that she views as unauthorized and therefore illegal.

Yeah, she really needs to go.

And by the way she is not alone.

Supreme Court rules against Kentucky county clerk who feels it is against her religious belief to issue same sex marriage licenses. Update!

Courtesy of Yahoo News:

The Supreme Court on Monday ruled against the Kentucky county clerk who has refused to issue same-sex marriage licenses, and the clerk will arrive at work Tuesday morning to face her moment of truth. 

Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis will have to choose whether to issue marriage licenses, defying her Christian conviction, or continue to refuse them, defying a federal judge who could pummel her with fines or order that she be hauled off to jail. 

"She's going to have to think and pray about her decision overnight. She certainly understands the consequences either way," Mat Staver, founder of the law firm representing Davis, said on Monday, hours before a court-ordered delay in the case expired. "She'll report to work tomorrow, and face whatever she has to face."

Apparently this lunatic stopped issuing ALL marriage licenses in the days after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality which kind of makes me wonder why she simply was not fired?

Perhaps the reason for that is because she has a lot of support in her community, which I imagine is made up of backward thinking religious nuts just like her.

When will these people realize that their faith is no excuse for denying people their human rights?

In other religious news the Pope has decided to allow Catholic priests to "forgive" women for having an abortions.

This being seen as a victory by some, but the entire idea that a man, even if that man is the Pope, has to "forgive" a woman for a decision she makes concerning her own body sickens me.

Update: A US District Court judge has ordered Davis and her entire staff to court on Thursday.

Here is her woe is me statement to the press: 

"I have worked in the Rowan County Clerk's office for 27 years as a Deputy Clerk and was honored to be elected as the Clerk in November 2014, and took office in January 2015. I love my job and the people of Rowan County. I have never lived any place other than Rowan County. Some people have said I should resign, but I have done my job well. This year we are on track to generate a surplus for the county of $1.5 million. 

In addition to my desire to serve the people of Rowan County, I owe my life to Jesus Christ who loves me and gave His life for me. Following the death of my godly mother-in-law over four years ago, I went to church to fulfill her dying wish. There I heard a message of grace and forgiveness and surrendered my life to Jesus Christ. I am not perfect. No one is. But I am forgiven and I love my Lord and must be obedient to Him and to the Word of God. I never imagined a day like this would come, where I would be asked to violate a central teaching of Scripture and of Jesus Himself regarding marriage. To issue a marriage license which conflicts with God'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. For me it is a decision of obedience. 

I have no animosity toward anyone and harbor no ill will. To me this has never been a gay or lesbian issue. It is about marriage and God's Word. It is a matter of religious liberty, which is protected under the First Amendment, the Kentucky Constitution, and in the Kentucky Religious Freedom Restoration Act. Our history is filled with accommodations for people's religious freedom and conscience. I want to continue to perform my duties, but I also am requesting what our Founders envisioned - that conscience and religious freedom would be protected. That is all I am asking. I never sought to be in this position, and I would much rather not have been placed in this position. I have received death threats from people who do not know me. I harbor nothing against them. I was elected by the people to serve as the County Clerk. I intend to continue to serve the people of Rowan County, but I cannot violate my conscience."

So there you have it, Jesus does not want her to issue marriage licenses to them damn homosexuals and by gum she not going to do it!

I wonder if the prison has a nice chapel?