Gay couples want Kentucky clerk to reissue marriage licenses

Gay couples in Kentucky say altered marriage licenses issued by a county clerk are invalid and a federal judge should order her office to reissue them or put the office in receivership and have someone else do it.

Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis spent five days in jail for disobeying a federal court order to issue licenses to gay couples. When she returned to work last week, she altered the license forms to say they were issued under the authority of the federal court instead of her office. Monday, lawyers for the American Civil Liberties Union asked the judge to force Davis' office to reissue the licenses.

Davis' lawyer Mat Staver noted Kentucky's governor said the state would recognize the altered licenses. He said the ACLU's motion was designed to punish Davis for her religious beliefs.

Davis, an Apostolic Christian, believes same-sex marriage is a sin and cited "God's authority" in refusing to obey the ruling.

As the Associated Press reported Friday, Davis altered the marriage forms by removing her name, making deputy clerk Brian Mason initial the form instead of sign it, and then requiring the form to be notarized.

Mason is the only employee in Davis' office who has said he does not object to issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples.