Justice

This Same-Sex Couple Was Just Denied a Marriage License in Kentucky

July 8th 2015

David V. Moore and his long-time partner were denied a marriage license by Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis less than two weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality, making same-sex marriage legal in all 50 states.

Moore uploaded footage to YouTube on Tuesday of his trip to the clerk's office. In the video, Moore and his partner appear to be ignored by employees and stand in line for just under 10 minutes before a female worker assists them.

"I have a letter from the governor's office stating that all the county clerks are to issue marriage license, and I also have the Supreme Court ruling," the couple says to the female county employee, who points out that they can go to another county to get a license. "We've lived here for over 10 years. We've been down here to register for cars. We own property here, we pay taxes here, we live here, we have our right."

The female worker goes on to say that Davis is "a Christian" and has a "right" under religion to refuse them a marriage license.

The men talk to Davis toward the end of the video, but she is seen asking him to turn it off.

As noted by Advocate.com, the ACLU sued Davis last week for denying marriage licenses to both straight and gay couples because of "religious concerns."

Following the lawsuit, ACLU of Kentucky's cooperating attorney Laura Landenwich said in a statement, "Ms. Davis has the absolute right to believe whatever she wants about God, faith, and religion, but as a government official who swore an oath to uphold the law, she cannot pick and choose who she is going to serve, or which duties her office will perform based on her religious beliefs."


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