LEXINGTON, Kentucky, November 7, 2016 (LifeSiteNews) — The American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky (ACLU) filed a federal lawsuit last Monday against Kim Davis and Rowan County, demanding $233,058 in expenses for suing to force Davis to sign her name to same-sex “marriage” licenses.
The Rowan County clerk is called a hero by some and a villain by others after she refused to sign homosexual “marriage” licenses in 2015 because she sincerely believed that doing so would imply her consent and participation in something the Bible deems sinful.
U.S. District Judge David Bunning incarcerated Davis for a week, jailing her for “contempt” because she held to her religious convictions.
After serving the jail time, Davis took the names of county clerks off the licenses. She was granted that accommodation, first by the governor's executive order and then by legislation.
But that did not satisfy gay activists, and the ACLU sued to force Davis to violate her conscience by issuing the old marriage forms with her name on them.
Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel described the ACLU lawsuit as nothing but a “bully tactic.”
“The ACLU is not interested in marriage licenses. They want Kim Davis' scalp,” Staver said. “They want to force her to violate her conscience.”
The ACLU lawsuit to force Davis’ name on homosexual licenses was dismissed outright. Now, the ACLU is suing again, for legal fees it incurred in the first suit last fall.
But pro-traditional marriage observers say the ACLU is again merely trying to bully not only Davis but anyone who disagrees with gay “marriage.” The ACLU of Kentucky even admitted that the intent of this second lawsuit is “to send a message to government officials that willful violations of individuals’ rights will be costly,” legal director William Sharp said in a press release.
The ACLU believes it deserves to recoup nearly a quarter-million dollar in expenses because it claims it “won” the first lawsuit now that homosexual “marriage” licenses are being issued by Rowan County. Davis' Liberty Counsel attorneys say the changes the state made, taking off clerks' names from licenses to accommodate Davis' religious objection, means that Davis won.
Rowan County says it shouldn't have to pay because Davis was acting on her own behalf rather than the county’s.
Davis was honored by the Family Research Council with their “Cost of Discipleship Award” for her stance.