- Stunning hypocritical statements from White House
- Other Republican candidates comment – some poorly
- Judge in question’s advancement pretty clearly nepotism
- Seems to bend toward proving himself to liberals
- Certainly had other options than jailing clerk
Quotes from Senator Cruz
Via World Net Daily: Cruz rips federal judge’s ‘tyranny’ in clerk’s case
‘Where is the call for President Obama to resign for ignoring and defying our immigration laws’
GOP president hopeful Sen. Ted Cruz, on Thursday accused U.S. District Judge David Bunning of “judicial tyranny” for jailing a Kentucky county clerk who refused to violate her Christian faith and issue licenses to same-sex couples.
He said those who are calling for her removal from office – she can’t be fired, she can only be impeached if she chooses not to quit – are hypocrites.
“I stand with Kim Davis. Unequivocally. I stand with every American that the Obama administration is trying to force to choose between honoring his or her faith or complying with a lawless court decision,” he said. “In dissent, Chief Justice Roberts rightly observed that the court’s marriage decision has nothing to do with the Constitution. Justice Scalia observed that the court’s decision was so contrary to law that state and local officials would choose to defy it.
“For every politician – Democrat and Republican – who is tut-tutting that Davis must resign, they are defending a hypocritical standard. Where is the call for the mayor of San Francisco to resign for creating a sanctuary city – resulting in the murder of American citizens by criminal illegal aliens welcomed by his lawlessness?”
Obama Administration statement is one of jaw-dropping hypocrisy
Raw Story reported the White House expressed no concern for Davis or religious freedom, with spokesman Josh Earnest saying: “There’s a rule of law and the principle of the rule of law is central to our democracy. And it’s appropriate in this instance for a federal judge to determine the best way to enforce the law.”
A legislative leader in Kentucky had asked the judge to delay the case until lawmakers could provide a resolution, but Bunning refused. He also refused, according to Davis’ supporters, to provider her due process.
The Hill also reported this comment from Obama spokes hole Josh Earnest:
The White House weighed in on the case earlier Thursday afternoon, with press secretary Josh Earnest saying that “on principle, that the success of our democracy depends upon the rule of law, and there’s no public official that is above the rule of law.”
Other candidates
From Rand Paul: “I think it’s absurd to put someone in jail for exercising their religious liberty,” Paul said on CNN’s “Wolf,” citing his home state clerk’s “heartfelt religious conviction.” (Veritaspac: More on Rand Paul’s comment later)
Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush said Thursday evening said Davis is “sworn to uphold the law” but added that “there ought to be a big enough space for her to act on her conscience,” according to BuzzFeed News.
Sen. Marco Rubio (Fla.) has similarly come out in defense of Davis, seeking “a balance between government’s responsibility to abide by the laws of our republic and allowing people to stand by their religious convictions.”
Huckabee, the first to offer a strong defense of Davis this week, blasted putting her in custody in a series of tweets on Thursday afternoon, calling it an assault on religious liberty.
Donald Trump, “I don’t know enough about it to comment on it,” Trump said during a wide-ranging press conference on Thursday.
Carly Fiorina, told radio host Hugh Hewitt on Tuesday that it’s “not appropriate” for Davis to continue denying licenses to same-sex couples, given the court’s ruling.
“While I disagree with this court’s decision, their actions are clear,” Fiorina explained. “And so I think in this particular case, this woman now needs to make a decision that’s [about] conscience: Is she prepared to continue to work for the government, be paid for by the government, in which case she needs to execute the government’s will, or does she feel so strongly about this that she wants to sever her employment with the government and go seek employment elsewhere where her religious liberties would be paramount over her duties as a government employee?”
Hewitt asked Fiorina whether she’d advise Davis to continue her “civil disobedience,” and the candidate responded, “Given the role that she’s playing, given the fact that the government is paying her salary, I think that is not appropriate.” . . .
New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie sounded a similar note during an interview Wednesday with radio host Laura Ingraham. “What I’ve said before is for someone who works in the government has a bit of a different obligation than someone who’s in the private sector or obviously working for educational institutions that’s religiously based or others,” he explained, “but my point is we have to protect religious liberty and people’s ability to be able to practice their religion freely and openly, and of course we have to enforce the law too.”
In his own appearance on Hewitt’s show on Tuesday, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, another 2016 GOP candidate, was even more succinct.
“As a public official, comply with the law or resign,” Graham advised Davis. “The rule of law is the rule of law. That’s what we are. We are a rule of law nation, and I appreciate her conviction. I support traditional marriage, but she’s accepted a job where she has to apply the law to everyone. And that’s her choice.”
To the three above our comment includes: disappointment, logical mish mash, and missing the point and implications of the controversy.
Regarding the judge: (more of our commentary developing)
http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/judge-clerk-marriage-case-dealt-nepotism-charges
This was not the “law” when this woman was elected to office.
Our Constitution places the making of the law in the legislature.
Leone, That is a good point. Haven’t heard it expressed in regard to this case.