Months after Kim Davis was imprisoned for five days due to her refusal to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, a judge has ruled that the Kentucky clerk obeyed his orders. The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) requested for the marriage licenses that she refused to sign to be reissued but the judge has dismissed the request.
In a report by Las Vegas Sun, United States District Judge David Bunning announced in a written statement that Davis has allowed her deputies to issue the marriage licenses to both same-sex and opposite sex couples.
Davis is known as the county clerk who did not want her office to issue licenses to same-sex couples as it would go against her conscience. Her refusal to do so has resulted to her being jailed for five days and asked for her name from the licenses to be removed if the issuance will continue. She was sued by four couples who had their licenses denied, ABC News reported.
As for ACLU's request, they wanted the licenses issued since last September without Davis' named to be issued again. However, Bunning pointed out that the licenses were valid under Kentucky law. The state's new Republican governor, Matt Bevin, signed an executive order in December that removes the clerks' names from marriage licenses as a result of the case of Davis.
Per Davis' lawyer, Mat Staver, the judge's ruling is correct as ACLU is just after their personal vendetta. He added, "From the beginning, we have said the ACLU is not interested in marriage licenses. They want Kim Davis' scalp. They want to force her to violate her conscience. I am glad the court rejected this bully tactic," Life Site reported.
Despite the ruling of Judge Bunning, ACLU Staff Attorney Ria Tabacco Mar said although the altered licenses will likely be honored, the Kentucky state courts will still have to settle whether or not the licenses are valid.
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