Ky. County Clerk Refuses to Resign Over Same-Sex Marriage License Debate

The Kentucky clerk who has refused to issue same-sex marriage licenses based on her religious beliefs has also refused to resign from her local government post despite calls from protesters to do so.

Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis said Tuesday that she will not resign from her role, saying in a statement released by her lawyers that she will not stand down from her position, and that she will also not "violate [her] conscience" by issuing same-sex marriage licenses.

"To issue a marriage license which conflicts with God's definition of marriage, with my name affixed to the certificate, would violate my conscience. It is not a light issue for me. It is a Heaven or Hell decision," Davis said in a statement Tuesday.

"I was elected by the people to serve as the County Clerk. I intend to continue to serve the people of Rowan County, but I cannot violate my conscience," she added.

According to the Associated Press, Davis must now face a federal judge after her request for an extended stay on issuing same-sex marriage licenses was rejected by the Supreme Court and her existing stay expired on August 31.

William Kash Stilz Jr., a lawyer representing one gay couple who has attempted to receive a marriage license from Davis, told The Courier-Journal that Davis is going against the court with her actions.

"She is basically telling Judge Bunning and the 6th Ccircuit and the Supreme Court that she doesn't care what they say," Stilz Jr. said.