Kim Davis found in contempt, ordered to jail

[somersault72]

www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/kentucky-clerk-kim-davis-held-contempt-court-n421126


 A federal judge has ordered a Kentucky clerk to jail after she refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

Kim Davis, a clerk in Rowan County, was found in contempt of court on Thursday morning. She has said granting marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples would "violate God's definition of marriage" and infringe on her personal beliefs as an Apostolic Christian.

Davis, in tears, said on the stand that she could not comply with the judge's order. U.S. Marshals later took her into custody.





"Thank you, judge," Davis said as she was being led out.

District Court Judge David Bunning has said Davis is bound by an oath of office to perform her duties under the law, and ordered that she be jailed until she complied with his order to grant licenses.

Bunning has upheld the Supreme Court's decision in June to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide, and wrote last month after the contempt lawsuit was filed that the state is merely forcing her to do her job within the law.

Edgar Orea, right, preaches to a group of same sex marriage supporters that have gathered outside the Carl D. Perkins Federal Building in Ashland, Ky., on Sept. 3, 2015. Timothy D. Easley / AP

Before the hearing, dozens of protesters on both side of the issue clashed outside of the federal courthouse in Covington, some in support of Davis for standing up for her beliefs.





While clerks in other states have made similar refusals, Davis' defiance is the most prominent — leading GOP presidential candidates to weigh in and casting a spotlight on her personal life, too.

It was revealed this week that she was divorced three times and had children out of wedlock before a religious awakening became a turning point in her life.

Davis, a registered Democrat, had worked as a deputy clerk for 27 years before voters in Rowan County elected her as clerk last November.

As an elected official, she can only be removed in a vote by state legislators, who don't reconvene in the State House until January.

Despite her political leanings, she's likely to get much support from Republicans lawmakers.

[sfy]

Does this mean she won't also be fined?  I was hoping for both (devil).

[NitaX]

[NitaX]

[NitaX]

They are going to watch her come into jail like ...

[iammalcolmx]

I want her to be fined.

[ChillyMcFreeze]

A good use for her $80k salary:

[NitaX]

Will the warden give her a safety talk?



Will she have her very own Crazy Eyes?

[bowies]

So, since she's not there to perform her duties, the judge can issues licenses now, right?

[downtoearth]

So she doesn't get paid while in jail, right? Just because she's elected, you don't get paid for not working, right?

[downtoearth]

Sept 3, 2015 13:36:39 GMT -5 Lucy Honeychurch said:

Sept 3, 2015 13:28:13 GMT -5 downtoearth said:

So she doesn't get paid while in jail, right? Just because she's elected, you don't get paid for not working, right?

She probably will be paid, I'd imagine; she's been there forever and likely has a lot of PTO. 

Oh, yeah, I didn't think of PTO - it's just frustrating that she is jailed for NOT DOING HER JOB, and yet, she'll still be just sitting on her butt not doing her job and getting her paycheck anyway.

[debatethis]

Sept 3, 2015 13:26:59 GMT -5 bowies said:

So, since she's not there to perform her duties, the judge can issues licenses now, right?

Think Progress says yes.

[blink]

Thanks Obama.

ETA: Yay if someone else can issue licenses in her absence now. Though  it would be great if she didn't get paid/was fined.

[skwcm80]

I'm doing a happy dance right now.

[laladypoet]

[KateAggie]

So she can't be removed from office, but she could (hypothetically) resign, right?

[Skyesthelimit1212]

The question is....Do you think she'd give Kermit and Denise a marriage license?

[ESF]

Sept 3, 2015 14:23:43 GMT -5 KateAggie said:

So she can't be removed from office, but she could (hypothetically) resign, right?

Yes, she could resign.

[ESF]

Sept 3, 2015 13:36:39 GMT -5 Lucy Honeychurch said:

Sept 3, 2015 13:28:13 GMT -5 downtoearth said:

So she doesn't get paid while in jail, right? Just because she's elected, you don't get paid for not working, right?

She probably will be paid, I'd imagine; she's been there forever and likely has a lot of PTO. 

Actually, is there even such a thing as PTO in an elected office? I honestly have no idea.  Either way, I wonder if someone could transfer their vacation time over once they leave their job as a regular employee and take a job as an elected one. It may be an entirely different system for payroll and benefits.

My guess would be that she'd continue getting paid because nobody would have the authority to decide not to pay her. Or I guess, the only way someone could cut off her paycheck would be if the legislature told them to.

[NitaX]

Sept 3, 2015 14:41:05 GMT -5 ESF said:

Sept 3, 2015 13:36:39 GMT -5 Lucy Honeychurch said:

She probably will be paid, I'd imagine; she's been there forever and likely has a lot of PTO. 

Actually, is there even such a thing as PTO in an elected office? I honestly have no idea.  Either way, I wonder if someone could transfer their vacation time over once they leave their job as a regular employee and take a job as an elected one. It may be an entirely different system for payroll and benefits.

My guess would be that she'd continue getting paid because nobody would have the authority to decide not to pay her. Or I guess, the only way someone could cut off her paycheck would be if the legislature told them to.

It depends. Local Officials (here at least) receive similar benefits to gov't employees. She's full time, so she may be offered the same package as her employees (benefits wise).

[jln]

I hope GFM shuts down any funding efforts that may start. I imagine she's going to be milking this for other "christians" to donate $$ to her.