US court again denies Kim Davis' bid to delay marriage licenses

[webfact]

Court again denies Kim Davis' bid to delay marriage licenses
CLAIRE GALOFARO, Associated Press

LOUISVILLE, Kentucky (AP) — Embattled Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis "has not demonstrated a substantial likelihood of success" in her legal bid to exempt her office from licensing same-sex marriages, a federal appeals court reiterated Tuesday.

One day after Davis returned to work following a stint in jail for defying a federal judge, the Sixth Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals shot down another of her requests to delay issuing the licenses.

After four couples sued Davis for refusing them licenses, she filed a counter lawsuit against Gov. Steve Beshear, alleging that he improperly instructed clerks to abide by the U.S. Supreme Court's decision in June that legalized gay marriage. The appeals court rejected her request to delay that directive, but also declined to toss the appeal entirely, as Beshear had requested.

Davis, the Rowan County Clerk, cited her Christian faith and religious freedom when she defied a series of court orders and refused to issue the licenses. U.S. District Judge David Bunning found her in contempt and jailed her for five days, propelling Davis to folk-hero status among some on the religious right.

One of her deputies began issuing licenses while she was in jail. When she returned to work Monday, Davis announced that she would not block the deputies from issuing licenses. But she ordered her office to alter the templates to remove her name and title, substituting "pursuant to federal court order," and said she had "grave concerns" that the issued licenses would be legally valid.

Though the governor and attorney general said they believe the licenses are valid, lawyers with the American Civil Liberties Union who sued Davis on behalf of four couples also are concerned. They said they would wait to consider any legal action, however, until the pending appeals are resolved.

Davis has one more request for reprieve awaiting the appeals court. In it, her attorneys with the Christian law firm Liberty Counsel argue that Bunning's order to issue licenses should apply only to the four couples who sued her and not to any other same-sex couples who would like to get married.

The ACLU asked the appeals court Tuesday to reject that one too, calling it "Davis' latest attempt to avoid the obligations of her office."

Three weeks ago, a panel of the appeals court dismissed Davis' primary argument that her religious faith should exclude her from licensing a gay marriage.

In a statement about Davis' most recent bid for an exemption, James Esseks, director of the ACLU's Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Project, said the clerk "keeps asking the same question and getting the same answer from the courts - that she has to do her job."

"Issuing marriage licenses doesn't mean she approves of those marriages, it just means she's doing the job she was elected to do."

-- (c) Associated Press 2015-09-16

[Searat7]

She needs to go....if she has a problem following the law let her resign and find another job or go back to jail. Stupid hillbilly !

[Seastallion]

"Christian law firm Liberty Counsel argue that Bunning's order to issue licenses should apply only to the four couples who sued her and not to any other same-sex couples who would like to get married."

Eh? So that Davis can refuse them and get sued again, and lose again and go to gaol for contempt again.....

What's with this latest tactic? Is it just to keep Davis in the limelight, or is it that the donations pouring in from extremist Christians have to be used up by the firm?

[elgordo38]

She needs to go....if she has a problem following the law let her resign and find another job or go back to jail. Stupid hillbilly !

Watch the Randy Rainbow video. How on earth was this woman ever vetted for this position.

[Roadman]

One of her deputies began issuing licenses while she was in jail. When she returned to work Monday, Davis announced that she would not block the deputies from issuing licenses. But she ordered her office to alter the templates to remove her name and title, substituting "pursuant to federal court order," and said she had "grave concerns" that the issued licenses would be legally valid.

Though the governor and attorney general said they believe the licenses are valid, lawyers with the American Civil Liberties Union who sued Davis on behalf of four couples also are concerned. They said they would wait to consider any legal action, however, until the pending appeals are resolved.

I thought that was the case when this first broke but though I misheard as it seemed so illegal in any democratic country that I thought I must have picked it up wrong.

One can argue the right and wrong of her decisions but an American government department forging someones signature (she did not give her consent and was opening opposed) on a legal document....and an attorney general saying forging a signature on a legal document is valid...who is kidding who.

[elgordo38]

"Christian law firm Liberty Counsel argue that Bunning's order to issue licenses should apply only to the four couples who sued her and not to any other same-sex couples who would like to get married."

Eh? So that Davis can refuse them and get sued again, and lose again and go to gaol for contempt again.....

What's with this latest tactic? Is it just to keep Davis in the limelight, or is it that the donations pouring in from extremist Christians have to be used up by the firm?

Gay marriage, abortions, Planned Parenthood are now constant attack by the right. Abortions and Planned Parenthood are constantly in the message of extreme GOP presidential candidates and its frightening to think one of these religious nuts could become the leader of the USA. I hope it gets women voters up in arms. In the constitution it states that religion and politics should remain separate but these GOP nut bars are trying to entwine them into one. Its frightening to see how aggressive they are becoming in their message. Spouting religious beliefs during a political campaign should automatically disqualify them from running.

[stevenl]

One of her deputies began issuing licenses while she was in jail. When she returned to work Monday, Davis announced that she would not block the deputies from issuing licenses. But she ordered her office to alter the templates to remove her name and title, substituting "pursuant to federal court order," and said she had "grave concerns" that the issued licenses would be legally valid.

Though the governor and attorney general said they believe the licenses are valid, lawyers with the American Civil Liberties Union who sued Davis on behalf of four couples also are concerned. They said they would wait to consider any legal action, however, until the pending appeals are resolved.

I thought that was the case when this first broke but though I misheard as it seemed so illegal in any democratic country that I thought I must have picked it up wrong.

One can argue the right and wrong of her decisions but an American government department forging someones signature (she did not give her consent and was opening opposed) on a legal document....and an attorney general saying forging a signature on a legal document is valid...who is kidding who.

Nobody is forging any signature.