Removing clerks' names from marriage licenses will be among top priorities of Gov.-elect Matt Bevin

cn|2 Pure Politics ^ | 11/6/2015 | Kevin Wheatley

[Republican Wildcat]

FRANKFORT — Republican Gov.-elect Matt Bevin plans to make marriage licensing one of his first priorities after his inauguration Dec. 8, pledging Friday to take executive action to strip county clerks’ names from the documents.

Bevin spoke to the media in the Capitol Rotunda in his first post-election news conference, where he reiterated his plan to shutter Kentucky’s health insurance exchange, kynect, as well as his stance against releasing his tax returns.

The state’s next governor spent much of his day at the Capitol meeting with his transition team and legislative leaders, saying he expects to announce his chief of staff and general counsel next week and “many of the key positions in place” by Dec. 8.

“But we’re not rushing to simply fill things,” Bevin said. “It’s important for people to understand we’re going to do this the proper way, and if we don’t have the right person, we’re not going to quickly make a random decision.”

One of Bevin’s first initiatives will be to alter Kentucky marriage licenses by removing the names of county clerks, a promise he made as Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis captured state and national media attention in her legal battle over issuing licenses in response to the legalization of same-sex marriage.

Davis, who was briefly jailed for her defiance of a federal court order to resume issuing marriage licenses, became symbolic for religious conservatives, sparking a visit at the Carter County Detention Center from Bevin and GOP presidential candidates Mike Huckabee and Ted Cruz as well as a religious freedom rally on the Capitol grounds.

Bevin said he would act on removing clerks’ names from marriage forms “right away” before looking to make the licenses available online.

[Steely Tom]

Seems like Democrat governors-elect start putting their policies into action the moment the incumbent delivers his concession speech.

[SpaceBar]

Essentially removing the signed testimony of a witness from a contract.

[wideminded]

Exactly what is the purpose of this top priority?

[onyx]

LOL.
Go Governor Matt!

[DoodleDawg]

Exactly what is the purpose of this top priority?

Kim Davis.

[Uncle Sham]

The only purpose I see is he is raising the white flag of surrender to the issue itself before officially taking office.

[the_daug]

I’d put “By order of (five supreme court justices names)”
on their marriage license.

[SomeCallMeTim]

This is proof that Kim Davis didn’t have to go to jail. Her religious objections could have been accomadated with the stroke of a pen.

It’s going to be GOOD, having a conservative as Governor.

[Amendment10]

"The only purpose I see is he is raising the white flag of surrender to the issue itself before officially taking office."

I surmise that Gov.-elect Matt Bevin is probably just another low-information ”conservative” politician. Corrections welcome.

[The Ghost of FReepers Past]

Bless him. That is great.

[Tanniker Smith]

It’s showing that there was another solution other than jail or termination.

[i_robot73]

IMO, another band-aide to the problem.

Yes, Davis, instead of the SCoTUS. He’s/TN still continuing to NOT exert their 9th/10th powers.

[subterfuge]

Seems like giving the left what they want to me.

[Uncle Sham]

"It's showing that there was another solution other than jail or termination."

Solution to what? The clerk having to go against his/her religious beliefs? This is NOT the problem that needs to be "solved". The Supreme Court thinking it can over ride the Kentucky State Legislature without Constitutional authority to do so is the "problem". The Tenth Amendment is the solution, along with a spinal column willing to fight with it. This action does nothing but indicate surrender by waving a white flag before taking office.