A little over a year ago, a Kentucky county clerk decided that her bigoted beliefs were more important than a decision made by the Supreme Court of the United States. You know, the decision that made marriage equality the law of the land and granted full rights to gay and lesbian couples. Remember her? Of course you do. After all, Kim Davis became a household name quickly when a same-sex couple sued her after she refused to provide them with a marriage license.
Now Kim Davis is back in the news, trying to wiggle her way out of paying attorneys’ fees to the couples that sued her. The attorneys for those couples asked U.S. District Judge David Bunning for an order allowing compensation for the legal fees and costs incurred during the suit. Davis lost that suit at every point in the appeals process until the Kentucky legislature resolved the issue by removing county clerks’ names from marriage certificates.
William Sharp, legal director of the Kentucky ACLU and one of the attorneys that brought the suit against Davis, said in a prepared statement:
“Courts recognize that when successful civil rights plaintiffs obtain a direct benefit from a court-ordered victory, such as in this case, they can be entitled to their legal expenses to deter future civil rights violations by government officials.”
To add insult to injury, Rowan County filed a separate response to the judge stating that if attorneys’ fees were warranted in the case, they should not have to pay anything. County attorney Jeffrey C. Mando wrote:
“County clerks are not employees of the county, but instead are the holders of elective office pursuant to the Kentucky Constitution.”
In other words, the county does not have your back, Kim.
By the way, the amount of attorneys’ fees and court costs requested is $233,058.
Ouch. Better break open that piggy bank.
Watch an interview with Kim Davis defending her decision here:
Featured Image via screenshot from YouTube video
