On Aug. 31, the U.S. Supreme Court decided to not allow Rowan County, Kentucky, Clerk Kim Davis to deny marriage licenses to same-sex couples because of her religious beliefs.
Davis had argued that her Christian faith prevented her from recognizing such marriages.
Steven R. Shapiro, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union, said in a statement, "[The] U.S. Supreme Court resoundingly affirmed that government officials must carry out the duties of public office. By refusing to simply issue a form, Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis has prevented our clients, four loving couples, from obtaining marriage licenses in the county where they live and pay taxes. Davis has no basis for any further delay in denying couples the freedom to marry."
Human Rights Campaign Senior Vice President for Policy and Political Affairs JoDee Winterhof said in a separate press release, "Freedom of religion is important, and Ms. Davis has the fundamental right to believe what she likes. But, as a public servant, she does not have the right to pick and choose which laws she will follow or which services she will provide. We are pleased that the U.S. Supreme Court has denied the stay."
Davis' challenge is still pending at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit—which previously allowed Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio and Tennessee to block marriage equality before the Supreme Court historic decision allowing same-sex marriage nationwide.
[Note: As of Sept. 1, Davis denied a marriage license to another same-sex couple, ABC News noted. James Yates and Will Smith Jr. marched into Davis' office. It was their fifth attempt to obtain a marriage license, and they once again were turned away.]
From the ACLU:
The U.S. Supreme Court has denied, without dissent, Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis her request for a stay of an order from the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that required her to issue marriage licenses immediately to couples in the case Miller v. Davis.
Following the U.S. Supreme Court's historic and sweeping marriage equality ruling in Obergefell v. Hodges, Davis refused to issue marriage licenses to any couple based on religious beliefs about marriage for same-sex couples.
On August 12, U.S. District Judge David Bunning ruled that plaintiffs in this case must be able to obtain marriage licenses in Rowan County. Davis proceeded to appeal that decision to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, and when her request for a stay pending appeal was denied, she requested a stay pending appeal with the U.S. Supreme Court so that she may continue to refuse issuing marriage licenses.
The following comment may be attributed to Steven R. Shapiro, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union:
"Today the U.S. Supreme Court resoundingly affirmed that government officials must carry out the duties of public office. By refusing to simply issue a form, Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis has prevented our clients, four loving couples, from obtaining marriage licenses in the county where they live and pay taxes. Davis has no basis for any further delay in denying couples the freedom to marry."
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