Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis To Be Released From Jail
– By WTVQ TV 36 –
The Kentucky county clerk who has refused to issue marriage licenses because of her religious beliefs will be released from jail, where she’s been held since Thursday on a contempt of court charge.
U.S. District Judge David Bunning lifted the contempt order Tuesday and ordered Rowan County clerk Kim Davis released. Bunning ordered her not to interfere with the issuing of gay marriage licenses.
Bunning sent Davis to jail on Thursday after she refused to comply with his order that Davis issue marriage licenses. She had refused to grant licenses to any couples, gay or straight, since shortly after the U.S. Supreme Court effectively legalized gay marriage.
Outside the jail where Davis is held, word spread slowly through a crowd of supporters Tuesday afternoon. Some said they couldn’t believe the news.
A Republican congressman from Kentucky says a federal judge’s decision to jail a Kentucky clerk was premature because the state legislature hasn’t had time to update its marriage laws since the U.S. Supreme Court effectively legalized gay marriage.
Republican U.S. Rep Thomas Massie said Tuesday outside the jail where Rowan County clerk Kim Davis is being held that state law is in flux.
He pointed out that Kentucky’s law still requires the woman in a relationship to apply for a marriage license. It makes no mention of same-sex relationships. He says the legislature needs to update that and several other laws, including ones that require marriage licenses to be issued under the county clerk’s authority.
Massie says: “I’m here because five Supreme Court justices stole my job. They legislated. They wrote law.”
Dozens of people are crowding the lawn outside the detention center where two GOP presidential candidates will meet with a Kentucky clerk jailed for refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
Candidate Mike Huckabee is hosting a rally Tuesday in front of the jail. He says Davis is simply exercising her religious freedom. He plans to meet with her about 2 p.m. Fellow candidate Ted Cruz says he’ll meet with Davis about 1 p.m., after he holds a news conference.
Fifty-seven-year-old Tom Baker drove more than two hours from his home for the rally. He says: “She hasn’t committed any crime. I don’t see how anybody can force anybody to go against their religion.”
Local officials scrambled to manage the crowd. A fire truck blocked access to the jail. Businesses along Main Street put up yellow caution tape. Some wanted to prevent visitors from clogging their lots. Others charged as much as $20 for parking. At red lights, men handed out literature urging people to write letters to Davis and to the judge who put her in jail.
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