Tag: Texas

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Texas County Clerk Resigns Rather Than Issue Marriage License To Same-Sex Couples

Joyce Lewis-Kugle, clerk for Rusk County Texas, has decided she would rather resign from her position than issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

Good riddance. Government officials don’t get to pick and choose which duties they will and will not carry out.

Apparently, Lewis-Kugle felt issuing a marriage license would somehow constitute taking part in the marriage, which she opposes on the basis of her chosen religion.

In 1967, several county clerks took a similar position with interracial couples who sought to marry.

Ms. Lewis-Kugle sought legal advice from the county’s district attorney, Michael Jimerson, about whether she could legally deny to serve gay and lesbian couples.

D.A. Jimerson told reporters he advised Ms. Lewis-Krugle (photo right) that if she followed the attorney general’s advice, she could expect to be sued. Mr. Jimerson said he told her:

“The Supreme Court is the law of the land. You can either resign in protest or issue the licenses.”

Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton recently advised county clerks that they could deny licenses to same-sex couples, and he would assist those clerks with finding free legal representation.

A deputy clerk for Rusk county told reporters the county has not yet received an application for a marriage licenses from a same-sex couple, but that when it does, the office will process the request.

(source)

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Half Of Texas Counties Still Not Issuing Same-Sex Marriage Licenses

Click over to the Dallas Morning News which has an interactive map showing which counties are and are not issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

Of those not issuing licenses yet, only two specifically cite “religious objections (Lipscomb and Kimball). The majority of others say they are waiting for “Official advice or forms” or a “software update.”

Get with it Texas. You can drag your feet for a while just to be stubborn, but marriage equality is here.

Forward.

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Texas: Attorney General Says State Employees Can Refuse LGBT Citizens

Via the Austin Statesman:

County clerks can refuse to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples based on religious objections to gay marriage, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton said Sunday. Paxton noted that clerks who refuse to issue licenses can expect to be sued, but added that “numerous lawyers stand ready to assist clerks defending their religious beliefs,” in many cases without charge. The formal opinion did not specify what constitutes a sincerely held religious belief, noting that “the strength of any such claim depends on the particular facts of each case.”

“Friday, the United States Supreme Court again ignored the text and spirit of the Constitution to manufacture a right that simply does not exist. In so doing, the court weakened itself and weakened the rule of law, but did nothing to weaken our resolve to protect religious liberty and return to democratic self-government in the face of judicial activists attempting to tell us how to live,” Paxton said. Paxton’s opinion also noted that judges and justices of the peace can refuse to perform same-sex marriages.

Bolding is mine.

This has been my question: WHAT will constitute a “sincerely held religious belief?” Will folks be able to suddenly claim such beliefs out of thin air?

I believe some folks may have such deep religious tenets, but what if someone is just a hater and decides to use “deeply held religious beliefs” as a shell of a defense?

And by the way – if you are a civil governmental employee like a county clerk or a judge, you should have to do your job. Suddenly state employees can decide what tasks they want to do?

Here’s the full “opinion.”

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The FIRST Same-Sex Marriage In Dallas County

Jack Evans and George Harris of Dallas, Texas

Together 54 years!!!!

(I am blissfully aware that I just wrote the words “same-sex marriage in Dallas County.”

This day.

Just – this day. I’ll leave it at that.

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WATCH: First same-sex marriage in Dallas County #SCOTUSMarriage
Posted by WFAA-TV on Friday, June 26, 2015

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Texas: McKinney Officer Resigns In Aftermath Of Pool Party Scandal

According to Fox News 4 in Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas, McKinney Police Corporal Eric Casebolt resigned today via his lawyer in the aftermath of an incendiary video showing him pushing a 15-year-old girl in a swimsuit to the ground and pointing his firearm at other teens.

At a press conference today, McKinney Police Chief Greg Conley said Casebolt’s actions were “indefensible” and “out of control.”

“He was out of control before and during the incident,” Conley said. “Twelve officers were on scene, 11 acted properly.”

The video of the Friday incident involving Casebolt at a McKinney neighborhood pool went viral and had initially landed Casebolt on administrative leave while police officials conduct an investigation.

Casebolt was seen pulling Dajerria Becton to the ground and pinning her with his knees while she cried out. He also pulled out his gun and pointed it at other teens and briefly ran after them before being stopped by two fellow McKinney police officers. Throughout the video Casebolt is heard repeatedly cursing.

Mayor Brian Loughmiller said Tuesday during the press conference that “the incident is not indicative of McKinney. The actions of one individual do not represent those of others.”

It’s painful to see any behavior like this. But I grew up on Texas not far from McKinney, and somehow it feels even worse. My best friend from high school was a longtime police officer in Texas. I know he would never have handled a situation like this so poorly.

This man’s actions make every police officer’s job more difficult.

#Fail

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Texas: Police Officer On “Administrative Leave” After Aggressively Handcuffing 14 Year Old Girl

Why would a police officer pull a gun on two unarmed boys in bathing suits? Or drive his knee into a 14 year old, 100 lb. girl?

From Samuel-Warde.com:

YouTube user Brandon Brooks posted an unedited video of cops crashing a pool party this weekend, writing:

A fight between a mom and a girl broke out and when the cops showed up everyone ran, including the people who didn’t do anything. So the cops just started putting everyone on the ground and in handcuffs for no reason. This kind of force is uncalled for especially on children and innocent bystanders.

McKinney Police in Texas confirmed to WFAA News that the incident in the video occurred Friday evening at the Craig Ranch North Community Pool and that an officer involved in the disturbance has been placed on administrative leave.

Police spokeswoman Sabrina Boston told WFAA that the incident involved “multiple juveniles at the location, who do not live in the area or have permission to be there, refusing to leave,” adding that nine units were dispatched after the first responding officers “encountered a large crowd that refused to comply with police commands.”

However, Boston acknowledged that the YouTube video “raised concerns” about the actions of the now-suspended officer , who is seen using profanity and aggressively throwing a girl in a bathing suit to the ground, face-down, appearing to pin her down with his knees.

“I think a bunch of white parents were angry that a bunch of black kids who don’t live in the neighborhood were in the pool,” said Brooks, who is white.

Grace Stone, a white 14-year-old, told BuzzFeed News that when she and her friends objected to the racist comments about public housing an adult woman then became violent.

When police arrived on scene, teens began fleeing. That’s when Brooks began his recording.

“Everyone who was getting put on the ground was black, Mexican, Arabic,” he said. “[The cop] didn’t even look at me. It was kind of like I was invisible.”

Stone told BuzzFeed News that when she approached the officers to explain what had happened in the pool the cop featured in the video ordered that she be handcuffed. “I asked why I was in handcuffs and he wouldn’t tell me,” she said, adding that she was the only white person handcuffed.

Stone’s father, Donnie, soon arrived on scene and was also not given a reason as to why his 14-year-old daughter was in handcuffs. “All they would say is that she’s not arrested,” he said. “I was fixing to get really irate. I thought they were going to put me in handcuffs. I was shaking. It was very aggravating.”

Stone was released from her handcuffs after about 25 minutes and allowed to go home.

During a Sunday press conference, McKinney Police Chief Greg Conley told reporters that “a 14-year-old female was temporarily detained by one of the officers. She was ultimately released to her parents,” adding that:

Several concerns about the conduct of one of the officers at the scene have been raised The McKinney Police Department is committed to treating all persons fairly under the law. We are committed to preserving the peace and safety of our community for all our citizens.

The suspended officer has reportedly been identified as Corporal Eric Casebolt.

Watch the incident below:

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Texas: Rep. Garnet Coleman Will “Kill” His Own Bill Before Allowing Anti-Gay Marriage Amendment To Pass

Texas Rep. Garnet Coleman will kill his own bill before allowing an anti-gay amendment be attached
Texas Rep. Garnet Coleman

We all were pretty sure the anti-gay bill Texas House Bill 4105, filed by state Rep. Cecil Bell, was dead in the water. The legislation would  attempt to thwart a possible SCOTUS ruling in favor of same-sex marriage by cutting off any state funds used to issue a marriage license to same-sex couples.

When Republicans in the state House couldn’t get the legislation to the floor before deadline last week, it was almost a done deal. I say almost because the one sliver of a chance for the anti-gay marriage legislation to get to a vote would be if it could somehow be attached as an amendment to another bill still in play. BUT – it would have to be “germane” to the active bill.

Yesterday, state Sen. Eddie Lucio Jr., a Democrat who opposes same-sex marriage, attached Bell’s bill to a non-controversial bill, House Bill 2977.

Now, the author of THAT bill, Rep. Garnet Coleman, says he will kill his own bill before he allows the anti-gay legislation to pass.

From the Houston Chronicle:

A Democratic state senator has dredged up anti-gay marriage legislation that advocates thought was dead this session, attaching the language to an uncontroversial county affairs bill under the noses of his fellow Democrats. While gay rights advocates decried the move, the bill’s original sponsor in the House said he would never let his legislation pass with the anti-same-sex marriage language in-tact. “I’m the author of the bill. I will resolve the bill,” said Rep. Garnet Coleman, D- Houston, a staunch gay marriage advocate.

House Bill 2977, as Coleman originally filed it, was an uncontroversial county affairs placeholder bill, meant to act as a vehicle for lawmakers to ensure important local issues can be passed late in the session. As the bill was headed to the Senate committee for approval this week, however, Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr. attached a number of other bills to Coleman’s legislation, including one that would seek to block a Supreme Court ruling in favor of gay marriage.

If the bill passes in the GOP-dominated Senate, which Coleman expects it to, it would need to return to the House, where the lower chamber’s members would have to concur with the changes. Coleman said if he can’t strip the anti-gay marriage off his legislation, then he would withdraw it completely. “If I can’t get it off, then the bill goes to bill heaven,” Coleman said. “I don’t support that legislation or that language.”

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Texas House Passes Bill Allowing Pastors To Refuse To Officiate Same-Sex Marriages

By a vote of 141-2, the Texas state House passed Bill 2065 which would reaffirm that pastors and churches can’t be forced to participate in same-sex weddings.

LGBT advocates say the Pastor Protection Act is unnecessary because clergy and churches are already protected from being forced to participate in same-sex weddings under the state and federal constitutions as well as Texas’ Religious Freedom Restoration Act.

No same-sex couple has tried to force an unwilling clergy member to officiate their wedding.

Opponents of the legislation are also concerned that pastors acting in a secular role, such as county clerks and justices of the peace, might use the bill as a basis for denying licenses to same-sex couples or refusing to marry them.

The Pastor Protection Act has already cleared the Senate, and Gov. Greg Abbott has said he will sign it.

(source)

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Marriage News Watch – May 18, 2015

Matt Baume for the American Foundation for Equal Rights:

Texas is setting itself up for a showdown with the Supreme Court. A bill to defy the court’s rulings died in the House last week, but anti-gay politicians could find a sneaky way to revive it.

Meanwhile, the Attorney General of Texas refuses to say if he’ll obey the Supreme Court’s ruling in June.