A federal judge ordered county court clerk Kim Davis to jail for contempt Thursday for refusing to issue same-sex marriage licenses on the grounds that to do so violated her religious beliefs.
An Apostolic Christian and elected Democrat, the Rowan County, Kentucky clerk appeared before U.S. District Judge David Bunning after consistently refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, reports Fox News.
Bunning said he was ordering her to jail because he believed she would not comply with his order to issue the marriage licenses even if she were fined. In her testimony, Davis explained her Christian beliefs and the fact that she was not able to change them.
In a statement earlier this week she said, “I have no animosity toward anyone and harbor no ill will. To me this has never been a gay or lesbian issue. It is about marriage and God’s word.”
When Bunning’s decision was announced, same-sex marriage proponents outside the court chanted, “Love won!” Supporters of Davis also held signs and flew a small plane over the courthouse with a banner that said, “Stand Firm Kim.” Since Davis is an elected official, she can only be removed if the state legislature impeaches her.
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