Page 32 - kpa sept 4,2015

U.S. NEWS A5
Friday 4 September 2015

Kentucky clerks to license marriages as their boss is jailed

Edgar Orea, left, and Dwayne D. Beebe-Franqui argue on the steps of the Carl D. Perkins Federal In a landmark ruling, jected the comparison.
Building in Ashland, Ky., Thursday, Sept. 3, 2015. Orea, a supporter of Rowan County Clerk Kim Da- the U.S. Supreme Court on “Ms. Davis is in an unfortu-
vis, and Beebe-Franqui a supporter of same sex marriage were waiting for the arrival of Kim Davis June 26 found that gay nate situation of her own
in Federal Court. Davis and her deputy clerks have been summoned to a hearing Thursday before marriage bans are uncon- creation. She is not a mar-
Judge David Bunning. Davis stopped issuing licenses to all couples in June after the U.S. Supreme stitutional and the vast tyr. No one created a mar-
Court legalized gay marriage. majority of government of- tyr today,” Landenwich
ficials around the country said. “She is not above the
(AP Photo/Timothy D. Easley) have since adhered to that law.”
ruling.As word of Davis’ Speaking earlier from the
jailing spread outside the bench, Bunning said it
federal courthouse, hun- would set up a “slippery
dreds of people chanted slope” to allow an individu-
and screamed, “Love won! al’s ideas to supersede the
Love won!” courts’ authority.
But Davis’ lawyer, Roger “Her good faith belief is
Gannam, compared her simply not a viable de-
willingness to accept im- fense,” Bunning said. “I my-
prisonment to what Martin self have genuinely held
Luther King Jr. did to ad- religious beliefs ... but I took
vance civil rights, and said an oath.”
“everyone should lament “Mrs. Davis took an oath,”
and mourn the fact that he added. “Oaths mean
her freedom has been tak- things.”
en away for what she be- Davis is represented by
lieves.” the Liberty Counsel, which
Laura Landenwich, an at- advocates in court for reli-
torney for the plaintiffs, re- gious freedom. q

ADAM BEAM will not allow” her to follow But Kim Davis rejected the
Associated Press federal court rulings on gay offer, choosing jail instead.
ASHLAND, Kentucky (AP) marriage. With that, the hearing
— A defiant county clerk “God’s moral law conflicts ended, and gay and les-
went to jail Thursday for re- with my job duties,” Da- bian couples vowed to ap-
fusing to issue marriage li- vis told the judge before pear at the Rowan County
censes to gay couples, but she was taken away. “You clerk’s office yet again Fri-
five of her deputies agreed can’t be separated from day, to see if the deputy
to end the church-state something that’s in your clerks keep their promises.
standoff in Rowan County, heart and in your soul.” “We’re going to the court-
Kentucky. The judge later tried to house tomorrow to get
U.S. District Judge David keep Davis out of jail after our marriage license and
Bunning said he had no all, saying she could go we’re very excited about
choice but to jail Kim Davis free if her staff agreed to that,” said April Miller, who
for contempt after she in- comply with the law and has been engaged to Kar-
sisted that her “conscience she agreed not to interfere. en Roberts for 11 years.

Senate:

Democratic support piles up for Iran deal

ERICA WERNER wide relief from economic United States must recog-
Associated Press sanctions. nize that to make this deal
WASHINGTON (AP) — Now The announcement from work, we must be more vig-
a done deal, the Iran nu- Booker, in particular, was ilant than ever in fighting
clear agreement gained closely watched because Iranian aggression.”
critical backing from three he was under immense Warner and Heitkamp
more Democratic senators pressure from segments of added their voices not
Thursday, deflating oppo- the Jewish community in his long after. Warner called
nents and boosting White home state of New Jersey the accord negotiated
House hopes of blocking to oppose the deal, and by the United States, Iran,
a disapproval resolution New Jersey’s other Demo- Britain, France, Germany,
in the Senate and sparing cratic senator, Bob Menen- Russia and China “the best
President Barack Obama dez, is an outspoken oppo- option for advancing the
from resorting to a veto. nent. goal of keeping Iran from
Democratic Sens. Cory In a statement, Booker obtaining a nuclear weap-
Booker, Mark Warner and voiced deep reservations on.” Heitkamp declared:
Heidi Heitkamp announced but concluded: “It is better “If we reject this deal, Iran
their support in quick suc- to support a deeply flawed will be closer to develop-
cession for the deal that deal, for the alternative ing a nuclear weapon, and
aims to curb Iran’s nuclear is worse. Thus, I will vote in we will reduce our standing
program in exchange for support of the deal. But the and authority in the world.”