Pueblo County clerk: Kentucky Clerk Kim Davis isn’t doing her job

The Pueblo County clerk said a Kentucky county clerk who continues to refuse to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples is not doing her job and is not serving the constituents she represents.

Kim Davis returned to work Monday after going to jail for five days for refusing to issue licenses to same-sex couples, despite being ordered to do so by a judge.

Pueblo County Clerk Gilbert Ortiz was the second clerk in Colorado to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. He issued them for two weeks and stopped after threat of a lawsuit from the U.S. Attorney’s Office.

Ortiz said he was eager to start issuing them, after having felt like he was denying people’s constitutional rights by not issuing them for seven years.

“We can’t treat people differently if they are American citizens. The fact that we were treating gay people or LGBT people differently in mind is wrong from the beginning,” said Ortiz.

Though he disagreed with the state’s ban on same-sex marriage, Ortiz said it was his job as a clerk to carry out the laws of Colorado. He said Davis is not doing the job she was elected to do by letting her beliefs interfere with her constitutional obligation to the people she serves. In addition, he said he feels Davis is trying to muster up an argument too late in the game.

“To see her after all this time and all these things happening, was she not paying attention? Was she not paying attention to other clerks and other issues? Because she seems very unprepared and her arguments aren’t very compelling,” said Ortiz.

Davis continued to stand her ground on Monday, reinforcing her feelings that she should not have to issue licenses to same-sex couples because it goes against her beliefs.

“My conscience, or my freedom. My conscience or my ability to serve the people I love,” said Davis.

A group of supporters gathered outside the jail after Davis was released. Groups like Focus on the Family in Colorado Springs also stand behind Davis.

“No one in this day and age should have to go to jail, first of all, for what they believe,” said Focus on the Family judicial analyst Bruce Hausknecht.

Davis plans to file a lawsuit over the issue, saying her First Amendment rights have been violated.