The new Kim Davis? Another Kentucky clerk won’t marry gays
Following on from the saga of avowed homophobe Kim Davis, another Kentucky clerk has vowed to refuse to marry gays.
Kim Davis spent five days in jail earlier this year for ignoring a number of court orders instructing her to stop discriminating against gays through refusing to issue marriage licences to same-sex couples.
Aside from Davis’ son Casey, her deputy in Rowan County, a clerk from another county has stopped issuing marriage licences due to her religious opposition to same-sex marriage.
Whitley County Clerk Kay Schwartz has said she will not issue marriage licences to couples other than “bride and groom” ones.
Back in July, Schwartz said: “I would love to see [same-sex marriage] banned, but like I said, they have their right to their belief. I have my right to my belief. So whatever they can do to take it away from my office, then so be it.”
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has commented saying Schwartz is in violation of the law.
ACLU Program on Freedom of Religion and Belief senior staff attorney Heather L. Weaver said in a statement: “Ms. Schwartz’s plan to discriminate against same-sex couples blatantly violates the law. As a County Clerk, she must issue marriage licenses to all couples on equal terms. We are closely monitoring the situation.”
