Gay couples want Kentucky clerk to reissue marriage licenses

Rowan County Deputy Clerk Brian Mason, left, asks Shannon Wampler-Collins, right and her partner Carmen Wampler-Collins to double check their marriage license at the Rowan County Judicial Center in Morehead, Ky. Monday, Sept. 14, 2015. Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis announced earlier that her office will issue marriage licenses under order of a federal judge, but will not have her name or office listed. AP

FRANKFORT, Kentucky — Gay couples in Kentucky are questioning the altered marriage licenses issued by a county clerk and are asking a federal judge to 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. On 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.

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