Kentucky Governor Lays Down the Law to County Clerk Who Refuses to Issue Marriage Licenses to Same-Sex Couples
Milwaukee County Sheriff Wants "Revolution" in Face of Marriage Equality Ruling
From Right Wing Watch:
"'The next time in your state the federal government tries to put a church or a bakery or a pizza place out of business because they want to live by their religious conviction,” [David Clarke] said, “when I talk about pitchforks and torches, you need to get down there, surround that business and dare the federal government to come in and close it. That’s the revolution I’m talking about, it has to start in the states.'"
Dizzying About-Face on Marriage Equality From Arkansas County Clerk
From The Arkansas Times Arkansas Blog:
"Channel 4's Greg Yarbrough tells me at 5 p.m. that reporter Marci Manley has talked with Van Buren Clerk Pam Bradford, who has not returned my calls. She tells Manley that she's spoken with an Arkansas attorney, Mike Rainwater, who provides legal advice to county governments through the Association of Arkansas Counties, and is now saying she will issue marriage licenses — and treat customers "with respect." This followed by about an hour a phone message to me from Mathew Staver, head of the Liberty Counsel in Texas, which said it had agreed to represent Bradford to defend her in resisting issuance of licenses."
Virginia Republicans Preparing to Pursue Discriminatory Legislation Against Same-Sex Couples
From The Washington Post:
"Gay rights advocates in Virginia and across the country have said repeatedly that they have no interest in forcing religious leaders to marry gay couples if they don’t want to. Gilbert said if that’s the case, “no one will mind if we put that in writing.”
“Religious people are right to be wary of where this agenda is headed,” he said. “It remains my position that the far left does not simply want to protect the rights of gay individuals. Their ultimate goal is to tear down religious institutions and belief systems.”...
Video Shows Gay Kentucky Couple Abused by County Officials While Seeking a Marriage License
From Raw Story:
"Ermold tells the employee that he has a letter from Gov. Steve Beshear ordering all county clerks to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, and he says he also brought the Supreme Court ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges.
“We know what it reads, sir, and we’re not issuing any licenses,” the woman says. “You need to talk to her. You can go to any other county and get your marriage license. We’re just not doing it at this time – not even for other people.”
Protect Thy Neighbor's First Initiative: Remind State Officials That They Have No Right to Discriminate
From Americans United's Wall of Separation blog:
"[Protect Thy Neighbor] hits the ground running today with its first initiative: AU’s Legal Department is sending a letter to every state attorney general in the country as well as every county clerk in the states of Texas and South Dakota reminding them that they have a legal obligation to give wedding licenses and otherwise provide service to all qualified couples, including those who are of the same sex.
Colorado Bakery Case: When a Cake is More Than a Cake
From The New York Times:
"At issue was whether Jack Phillips, a Colorado bakery owner, had broken state antidiscrimination laws when he refused to make a cake for a gay couple’s wedding reception, citing his religious beliefs. With same-sex marriage now legal everywhere nationally in the wake of the United States Supreme Court ruling in June, his case is being closely watched as a test of the boundary between personal religious objections and legal discrimination.
Brownback Order Infringes On Personal Freedom And Fosters Discrimination
From an Americans United press statement:
Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback today issued executive order 15-05, which purports to prohibit the state from discriminating against religious organizations that hold “the belief or moral conviction that marriage is or should be recognized as the union of one man and one woman.” What the order really does is sanction government-funded discrimination, says Americans United for Separation of Church and State.
Kentucky Clerk Asks Governor for Taxpayer-Funded Work-Around on Marriage Licenses for Same-Sex Couples
From Raw Story:
"“I think I deserve some sort of relief that I took my oath to do this job to the best of my ability so help me God," Davis said. “I can’t go beyond what my conscience allows.”... The Casey County attorney said he respected the county clerk – but he said Davis was wrong about this issue.
Ohio Same-Sex Couple Told Judge Did Not Perform "These Types of Marriages"
When We Say We Protect Our Neighbors, We Mean All of Them
From Americans United's Wall of Separation blog:
"The project is designed to counter the Religious Right’s stated intentions to undermine civil rights for LGBT people in the wake of the high court’s Obergefell v. Hodges ruling – and reclaim religious freedom as a democratic principle that protects everyone.
Oral Arguments Begin Today in Discriminatory Colo. Bakery Case
From The AP's The Big Story blog:
"The [Colorado bakery] case underscores how the already simmering tension between religious-freedom advocates and gay-rights supporters is likely to become more heated in the aftermath of the U.S. Supreme Court's landmark ruling last month legalizing same-sex marriage nationwide."
South Dakota Attorney General Says Clerks Can Refuse Marriage License for Same-Sex Couples
From The Advocate:
The Attorney General of South Dakota has taken the position that “country clerks in his state who oppose marriage equality on religious grounds can refuse to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, so long as another clerk in the office will issue the license.” And if every clerk in the county refuses to issue licenses, “the state itself could issue the license.”
Marriage Equality Just a Step Towards True Equality
Federal Judge Declares Marriage Equality Ruling Binding in Alabama
Mark Joseph Stern Sets the Record Straight About Oregon Bakery Anti-Gay "Gag Order"
From Slate:
"There is nothing in Avakian’s order that bars the Kleins from talking about the ruling. They can rail against it, march against its injustice, and pen Facebook screeds complaining about anti-discrimination law. What they cannot do is proclaim (publicly!) that their business will not serve gay couples."
Lawyers Prepare to Defend Marriage Opponents
From The Texas Tribune:
"After blasting the high court’s ruling, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, the state’s top lawyer, issued an opinion last week saying that federal and state religious freedom laws protect county clerks, justices of the peace and judges who opt out of issuing same-sex marriage licenses or performing same-sex wedding ceremonies because they believe it violates their religious beliefs.
But the opinion came with a warning: Be prepared to get sued."