Jump to content

Kentucky clerk Kim Davis may have hefty legal bill in gay marriage case


Recommended Posts

Gov. Matt Bevin supported Davis, the former county clerk who wouldn't issue same-sex marriage licenses, in 2015. Now he's saying she broke the law.

 

Quote

But four years later, after a court ordered Kentucky taxpayers to pay more than $222,000 in legal fees for the gay and straight couples who sued, outside lawyers for now Gov. Bevin say former Rowan County clerk Kim Davis broke the law and taxpayers “should not have to collectively bear the financial responsibility for Davis’ intransigence.”

 

“Only Davis refused to comply with the law as was her obligation and as required by the oath of office she took,” Bevin attorney Palmer G. Vance II wrote in a brief filed with the court.

Bevin has been a staunch supporter of Davis, who spent five days in jail for refusing a court order to issue marriage licenses following the historic U.S. Supreme Court ruling that effectively legalized gay marriage. Davis even switched parties, registering as a Republican because she said the Democratic Party abandoned her. But now, Davis and Bevin will oppose each other in federal court on Thursday as lawyers argue who should have to pay for the lawsuit that stemmed from Davis’ actions.

 

Quote

But in an interview with The Associated Press, Davis’ attorney Mat Staver said he does not attribute those arguments to Bevin, but to the attorneys who represents him.

Those attorneys, Palmer G. Vance II and William M. Lear Jr., are the same ones who represented former Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear on the case before Bevin took office.
 

Bevin’s in-house attorney, Steve Pitt, also noted the lawyers were hired by Beshear, and said they “have taken no position as to whether Ms. Davis acted unconstitutionally.”

 

“Governor Bevin does not believe that she has done so and continues to support Ms. Davis’s actions,” Pitt said. “Our outside counsel have only argued, given the court’s ruling, that if constitutional rights were violated, the taxpayers of Kentucky are not responsible to pay the ACLU’s attorney fees.”

 

Emphasis mine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If she was operating outside of the policy of her employer, I don’t think the employer should be held financially responsible. Which is unfortunate for the plaintiffs and their lawyers as I’m guessing Davis doesn’t have much money to pay up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 minutes ago, sblfilms said:

If she was operating outside of the policy of her employer, I don’t think the employer should be held financially responsible. Which is unfortunate for the plaintiffs and their lawyers as I’m guessing Davis doesn’t have much money to pay up.

I herd there was monies left over from the failed gofundme wall money! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...