Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee said in a statement today that he had called Kentucky clerk Kim Davis to congratulate her for her “courage and humility” in defying the Supreme Court’s decision on marriage equality.
Huckabee’s stance doesn’t come as a surprise, as the former Arkansas governor has said that gay people can never be truly married and called the Supreme Court’s gay marriage ruling illegitimate. Huckabee even signed a pledge vowing to defy the court on marriage, a pledge coincidentally authored by Davis’ attorney, Liberty Counsel head Mat Staver.
“Because Congress has made no law allowing for same sex marriage, Kim does not have the constitutional authority to issue a marriage license to homosexual couples,” Huckabee said in the statement, before applauding her for refusing to bow “to the false God of judicial supremacy” and defending herself against “Washington elites who have nothing but disdain for us, our faith and Constitution.”
Another presidential candidate, Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said that Davis’ decision to break the law is “part of the American way.” Shortly after the Supreme Court’s decision, Gov. Bobby Jindal, R-La., said that clerks in his state should be allowed to deny marriage licenses to gay couples if it conflicts with their personal beliefs, even though in 2009 the governor tried to fire a local official after he denied a marriage license to an interracial couple after citing personal objections to interracial marriage.
"I spoke with Kim Davis this morning to offer my prayers and support,” Huckabee said. “I let her know how proud I am of her for not abandoning her religious convictions and standing strong for religious liberty. She is showing more courage and humility than just about any federal office holder in Washington.
"Kim is asking the perfect question: 'Under what law am I authorized to issue homosexual couples a marriage license?' That simple question is giving many in Congress a civics lesson that they never got in grade school,” Huckabee added. "The Supreme Court cannot and did not make a law. They only made a ruling on a law. Congress makes the laws. Because Congress has made no law allowing for same sex marriage, Kim does not have the constitutional authority to issue a marriage license to homosexual couples.
"Kim is a person of great conviction,” Huckabee continued. “When people of conviction fight for what's right they often pay a price, but if they don't and we surrender, we will pay a far greater price for bowing to the false God of judicial supremacy. Government is not God. No man - and certainly no unelected lawyer - has the right to redefine the laws of nature or of nature's God. Five unelected lawyers have abused their power by ruling in favor of a national right to same-sex marriage with no legal precedent and with nothing in our Constitution to back it up. They have violated American's most fundamental right guaranteed by our Constitution - religious liberty.
"I stand with Kim Davis and every American of faith under attack by Washington elites who have nothing but disdain for us, our faith and the Constitution,” Huckabee concluded.
