Ted Cruz blasts judge for jailing county clerk for refusing to violate her religious beliefs

(NaturalNews) Millions of Americans are standing firmly behind Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis' refusal to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples citing her religious beliefs under the First Amendment, regardless of a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that found that denying such couples the right to marry amounted to discrimination under the Fourteenth Amendment.

Count Republican presidential contender and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz among them.

In recent days, Cruz heavily criticized a decision by U.S. District Judge David Bunning to hold Davis in contempt and jail her for defying his order to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, calling it "judicial tyranny" after she refused to violate her Christian faith.

As reported by WorldNetDaily, Cruz said that those who are calling for her to be removed from office – she cannot be fired under Kentucky statutes, but she can be impeached if she chooses not to quit voluntarily – are hypocrites.

"Where is the call for President Obama to resign for ignoring and defying our immigration laws, our welfare reform laws, and even his own Obamacare?" Cruz said. "When the mayor of San Francisco and President Obama resign, then we can talk about Kim Davis."

"Judicial lawlessness"

"Those who are persecuting Kim Davis believe that Christians should not serve in public office. That is the consequence of their position. Or, if Christians do serve in public office, they must disregard their religious faith – or be sent to jail," he continued. "Kim Davis should not be in jail. We are a country founded on Judeo-Christian values, founded by those fleeing religious oppression and seeking a land where we could worship God and live according to our faith, without being imprisoned for doing so.

"I call upon every believer, every constitutionalist, every lover of liberty to stand with Kim Davis. Stop the persecution now."

Bunning summoned Davis, who is a clerk for Rowan County, to his courtroom after she defied his order to violate her beliefs and issue the licenses. Bunning – who WND reports has previously ruled in favor of partial-birth abortion and homosexual clubs for high school students – said a fine was not enough punishment for her and ordered her to be jailed until she agreed to issue the licenses. Then, he ordered her assistants to either issue the licenses or be jailed with her. Five of the six agreed, but several of them did so under protest.

Later, Bunning attempted to resolve the issue by telling Davis that if she returned to his courtroom and pledged to begin issuing the licenses and not interfere with the actions of her subordinates, she could go free. She refused.

"Today, judicial lawlessness crossed into judicial tyranny," Cruz said when Davis was jailed. "Today, for the first time ever, the government arrested a Christian woman for living according to her faith. This is wrong. This is not America.

"I stand with Kim Davis. Unequivocally," he continued. "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.

"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," Cruz added.

A fight worth fighting

"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?"

Prior to her jailing, Davis said in an interview with Fox News that hers "is a fight worth fighting," WND reported.

Davis stopped issuing marriage licenses to both straight and gay couples following the Supreme Court's ruling so that she wouldn't have to discriminate against anyone. Apparently, that decision didn't matter.

Sources include:

WND.com

NaturalNews.com

Breitbart.com