Casey County Clerk Casey Davis wrapped up his cross-Kentucky bike ride in support of jailed Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis in Paducah’s Dolly McNutt Plaza on Friday. The assembled crowd cheered as Davis ended the 460-mile trip he began in Pikeville on August 27th.
Davis, no relation to Kim, says he made the trip to show solidarity with his colleague and to raise awareness about her situation. U.S. District Judge David Bunning cited Kim Davis for contempt of court last week for refusing to issue marriage licenses to straight and same-sex couples, and ordered her to jail. Casey Davis objects to same-sex marriage for religious reasons as well, and has also refused to issue licenses in his county. But he says he isn’t worried about himself.
“I’m more concerned about her right now," Davis said. "I’m embarrassed that I’m standing here, and she’s sitting there. If I could trade places with her, I would. May have to some day, and if that happens, so be it. But she does not deserve to be there.”
2nd District State Representative Richard Heath, who represents Graves and parts of McCracken counties, was among the crowd who greeted Casey Davis. He says he’s surprised Governor Steve Beshear hasn’t called a special session to resolve the issue.
According to Heath, “You would think that if the president of the Senate and Speaker of the House both were in agreement, that that would be enough political pull to make it happen... apparently not. So, if all 100 members of the House need to call the governor, I think we’d be willing to do that.”
Heath is one of the co-sponsors of BR-101, a bill pre-filed for the upcoming legislative session that would exempt officials from any liability for refusing to issue or record marriage licenses.
Davis says there needs to be what he terms a broader disregard for the U.S. Supreme Court ruling legalizing same-sex marriage, a decision he considers wrong. He says he hopes more people will follow Kim Davis’ example.
