A county clerk in Kentucky argued
Monday that she has a First Amendment right to refuse to issue
marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples.
The American Civil Liberties Union
(ACLU) of Kentucky filed a class action lawsuit against Rowan County
Clerk Kim Davis after she decided to stop issuing marriage licenses
to all couples rather than serve gay couples.
Plaintiffs in the case are four couples
who were refused a license from Davis' office. Half of the couples
are gay.
Following the Supreme Court's ruling
striking down marriage bans in all 50 states, Davis pledged never to
issue a marriage licenses to a gay couple, saying it would be a
violation of her Christian faith.
“It's a deep-rooted conviction; my
conviction won't allow me to do that,” Davis said. “It goes
against everything I hold dear, everything sacred in my life.”
Appearing in court Monday, Davis
testified that she prayed and fasted for months over what would be
her response to the court's decision.
She said that the First Amendment of
the U.S. Constitution gives her the right to refuse to serve gay
couples because it violates her religious faith.
A decision in the case is expected by
the middle of August.