![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
solarbirdThe county clerk in Kentucky who is refusing to follow the law and issue marriage licenses for same-sex couples has been sent to jail for contempt of court. For a bit of additional depth: as head clerk - and the only elected clerk - she is in charge of all the other clerks in her county, and she ordered them all not to issue licenses either. So the couples can't just go to another window. They're all closed.
I don't see a way around this action by the court, particularly - I mean, contempt of court, that's what happens. They could fine her, but she won't pay it, and we'll just be back here, and then they'ld send her to jail. Really, this is just cutting to the chase. Now she can be impeached and removed, should those bodies involved be moved to do so.
But do understand: her being jailed is the fundamentalists' desired result. They want a martyr, and they'll use her forever: JAILED FOR OPPOSING THE HOMOSEXUAL AGENDA! THEY'RE COMING FOR YOU NEXT! and all that.
She'll get to cash in too, of course, as the bigots flood her with money. As I saw elsewhere, if a pizza joint can raise $1m for not catering a wedding they weren't even asked to cater, she can raise a lot more for this.
eta: Get this quote, from the person who is refusing to execute the law as required by her office: "This country has always had disagreements, but what makes this country different from other countries is that we respect the rule of law." Hilarious.
eta2: The first draft of the article I linked in the first ETA was rather different than what's there now, and changes the attribution of the quote from the defendant to the judge, which makes a lot more sense. I also cannot rule out that I misread the earlier, shorter draft. Either way, the attribution as reported now is not correct, so the comment is withdrawn.
I don't see a way around this action by the court, particularly - I mean, contempt of court, that's what happens. They could fine her, but she won't pay it, and we'll just be back here, and then they'ld send her to jail. Really, this is just cutting to the chase. Now she can be impeached and removed, should those bodies involved be moved to do so.
But do understand: her being jailed is the fundamentalists' desired result. They want a martyr, and they'll use her forever: JAILED FOR OPPOSING THE HOMOSEXUAL AGENDA! THEY'RE COMING FOR YOU NEXT! and all that.
She'll get to cash in too, of course, as the bigots flood her with money. As I saw elsewhere, if a pizza joint can raise $1m for not catering a wedding they weren't even asked to cater, she can raise a lot more for this.
eta2: The first draft of the article I linked in the first ETA was rather different than what's there now, and changes the attribution of the quote from the defendant to the judge, which makes a lot more sense. I also cannot rule out that I misread the earlier, shorter draft. Either way, the attribution as reported now is not correct, so the comment is withdrawn.
no subject
Date: 2015-09-04 01:46 pm (UTC)>She'll get to cash in too, of course, as the bigots flood her with money.
That is the reason the judge gave for sentencing her to jail time instead of imposing fines.