Tag: Kentucky

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Kentucky Democratic Primary Results Confirm Hillary Clinton As Winner

Democratic presidential front-runner Hillary Clinton

A “recanvass” of the Kentucky Democratic primary results shows that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton did, indeed, win the state’s contest according to Secretary of State Alison Lundergan Grimes.

From Politico:

“The unofficial winner of Kentucky’s Democratic presidential primary remains Hillary Clinton,” Grimes said at a press conference on Thursday. “The recanvass vote totals which were submitted to my office today will become the official vote totals. The Kentucky Board of Elections will certify on May 31st.”

The recanvass was a review of voting machines and absentee ballots in all 120 of the state’s counties.

In a statement, the Vermont senator said he accepted the results.

“We accept the results in Kentucky. We are very pleased that we split the delegates in a state with a closed primary in which independents cannot vote and where Secretary Clinton defeated Barack Obama by 35 points in 2008,” Sanders said in a statement

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Kentucky Governor Signs Law Removing County Clerk’s Signature From Marriage Licenses

This past Wednesday, Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin signed into law a bill that removes county clerks’ names from the state marriage license.

You’ll recall the long drawn-out story from last year of County Clerk Kim Davis who refused to sign any marriage licenses for same-sex couples after the historic ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court on marriage equality.

From Reuters:

Senate Bill 216, signed by Republican Governor Matt Bevin, also creates a single form that either heterosexual or same-sex couples can use. Applicants can choose between being called bride, groom or spouse.

“We now have a single form that accommodates all concerns. Everyone benefits from this common sense legislation,” Bevin said in an emailed statement. “There is no additional cost or work required by our county clerks. They are now able to fully follow the law without being forced to compromise their religious liberty.”

Michael Aldridge, executive director for the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky, issued a statement saying he welcomes the move which creates a uniform license for everyone in the state.

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Kentucky State Senate Committee Advances “License To Discriminate” Bill

Fairness Kentucky reports on another anti-LGBT “License To Discriminate” bill that would seek to nullify all pro-LGBT local ordinances.

A “License to Discriminate” bill that would sanction discrimination against LGBT Kentuckians passed out of the Senate Veterans, Military Affairs and Public Protection Committee this morning. Senate Bill 180, introduced by Senator Albert Robinson of London, seeks to gut local LGBT Fairness Ordinances passed by eight Kentucky cities. Those cities include Covington, Danville, the State Capital Frankfort, Lexington, Louisville, Midway, Morehead, and the small Appalachian town of Vicco.

“Senate Bill 180 is nothing but a license to discriminate,” shared Fairness Campaign director Chris Hartman. “This legislation seeks to undo the hard work of eight Kentucky cities that chose to protect all their residents from discrimination. These cities, like nearly 200 local employers in the Kentucky Competitive Workforce Coalition, know that discrimination is bad for business. Should the Kentucky General Assembly pass this license to discriminate, it will have untold negative effects on our commonwealth’s tourism, economics, and business development.”

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Kentucky To Pay Over $1.1 Million In Legal Fees To Same-Sex Marriage Attorneys

The state of Kentucky has been ordered by the federal Western District Court of Kentucky to pay $1,115,632.96 in attorney fees and costs to the lawyers who fought for marriage equality in the state.

The losing side of a court battle often has to pay the winning side’s legal fees. And as we know, the good guys won this one.

Lots of states avoided this by seeing the writing on the wall and dropping opposition to same-sex marriage.

Kentucky did not have the good sense to do that.

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Kentucky On The Hook For Huge Legal Bill In Marriage Equality Fight

Newly-installed (and virulently anti-gay) Kentucky Gov. Matt Bevin is now tasked with having to pay the winning lawyers in the state’s unsuccessful marriage equality case.

And under federal law, the governor has no choice but to pay them. To ensure “effective access to the judicial process” for “persons with civil rights grievances,” the losing side must pay the winner’s legal fees in an amount the courts decide is reasonable.

In Ohio and Michigan, for example, whose gay marriage bans were struck down with Kentucky’s, the Republican governors in those two states settled with the winning lawyers, for $1.3 million and $1.9 million, respectively.

The winning legal team is seeking $2,091,297. I would look for the amount to be somewhere in the 60-65% range.

I’d love it if someone could tell us how much it cost states to fight marriage equality all the way to the  U. S. Supreme Court.

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County Clerk Kim Davis Finds It “Ironic” God Used Her To Deny Loving Couples A Marriage License

“How ironic that God would use a person like me, who failed so miserably at marriage in the world, to defend it now.

“The Lord picks the unlikely source to convey the message.”

– 4x married Kentucky County Clerk Kim Davis to the Associated Press regarding her journey this past year denying same-sex couples a legal marriage license because she disapproved. 

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New Kentucky Governor Issues Executive Order Removing County Clerks Names From Marriage Licenses

Newly elected Gov. Matt Bevin of Kentucky has issued an executive order removing the requirement for county clerks names on marriage licenses.

For months County clerk Kim Davis asked that the governor’s office make such a change so she would not be, at least in her eyes, a “party” to a same-sex marriage.

Outgoing Gov. Beshear insisted his office did not have the authority to change state law. It appears some legal minds still agree with Beshear.

Bevin’s order on marriage licenses directs the state Department of Libraries and Archives to change the wording on forms so that the names of county clerks are not required to appear. The issue gained national attention after Davis, Rowan County’s clerk, refused to sign off the forms, citing her Apostolic Christian beliefs and objections to same-sex marriage.

Beshear argued for months that state statute determined the wording on marriage licenses and that he could not remove clerks’ names. However, Bevin’s press release states that the change is needed to “ensure that the sincerely held religious beliefs of all Kentuckians are honored.”

William Sharp, legal director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Kentucky, released a statement saying that Bevin’s action has created a cloud of uncertainty over marriage licenses in the state.

“The requirement that the county clerk’s name appear on marriage licenses is prescribed by Kentucky law and is not subject to unilateral change by the governor – conceded by the previous administration in court filings,” he said. “Today, however, a new administration claims to have that authority.”

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Kim Davis Sidesteps Questions Whether Other Religions Deserve The Same Exemptions She Demands

Kim “I love all people” Davis

Professional martyr and occasional County Clerk Kim Davis sat down with Fox News’ Megyn Kelly to talk about her ongoing refusal to follow the law when it comes to issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

You’ll note that when directly asked if other non-Christian faiths should receive similar exemptions to the one she’s demanding, she sidesteps the question: “You have millions of Christians who object to this whole same-sex marriage issue. Are their rights invalid? Are their rights not worth anything?”

She also mentions that there’s “no way” she would issue a marriage license to her own child if they were to come out as gay or lesbian.

However, Davis went on to say that she “loves all people. I have love in my heart for everyone.”

I’ll just leave that right there.

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Kentucky County Clerk Kim Davis Alters Marriage License Forms

Kentucky County Clerk Kim Davis, who continues to refuse to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples over “religious beliefs,” may have more legal troubles.

Davis, the County Clerk for Rowan County, was famously taken into custody when she refused to follow a federal court order (and the law) regarding issuance of marriage licenses. She was released from jail on the condition that she would not interfere in any way with her deputies issuing licenses.

It would appear that she may not have held to her end of that bargain.

Via Buzzfeed:

The lawyer for Deputy Clerk Brian Mason brought that issue to U.S. District Court Judge David Bunning’s attention on Friday, noting that it “appears to this counsel those changes were made in some attempt to circumvent the court’s orders and may have raised to the level of interference against the court’s orders.”

When Bunning released Davis from jail on his contempt order, he released her on the condition that she not interfere with the issuance of licenses.

In Friday’s filing, Mason’s lawyer added that his client’s concern is that “he does not want to be the party that is issuing invalid marriage licenses.” He also noted that Mason “is trying to follow the court’s mandate, as well as his superior [Davis] ordering him to issue only these changed forms.”

One of many questions unanswered at this point is whether Davis has the authority to change a legal state form.