Ky. Clerk Held in Contempt For Refusing Same-Sex Marriage Licenses

A county clerk in Kentucky was jailed by a federal judge on Thursday after she refused to issue same-sex marriage licenses in her county, despite a Supreme Court ruling that ordered her to do so.

Federal Court Judge David L. Bunning ruled that Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis be held in contempt on Thursday for refusing to issue the licenses, saying in his opinion that "her good faith belief is simply not a viable defense."

"The court cannot condone the willful disobedience of its lawfully issued order," Bunning continued. "If you give people the opportunity to choose which orders they follow, that's what potentially causes problems."

"I myself have genuinely held religious beliefs," the judge continued, adding "I took an oath."

"Mrs. Davis took an oath. Oaths mean things," the judge added.

Davis said earlier this week that she is refusing to issue the marriage licenses because she is "under God's authority."

Davis had been awarded an extended stay by a federal judge as she attempted to appeal the order to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples, but that stay expired on August 31 and the Supreme Court rejected her request to extend the stay further.

The Rowan County clerk said in a statement earlier this week via her lawyer that she "[wants] to continue to perform my duties, but I also am requesting what our Founders envisioned — that conscience and religious freedom would be protected."

"That is all I am asking. I never sought to be in this position, and I would much rather not have been placed in this position," Davis added.