According to the Denton County Record Chronicle, Denton County Clerk Juli Luke issued two statements today, the first saying that she’s refusing to issue the licenses because state law now conflicts with federal law, and the second claiming that actually it’s a “vendor issue.” Right.
Texas has always had a little trouble with the Supremacy Clause of the U.S. Constitution—the one that says federal law supersedes state law—and today is no different. Here are Luke’s two statements, via North Texas Daily, the University of North Texas’ student paper:
I took an oath to uphold the laws of Texas and the United States. It appears this decision now places our great state in a position where our state contradicts federal law. Based on this new conflict, I will be deferring to my legal counsel, District Attorney Paul Johnson, for guidance.
And the second statement, a few hours later:
I have no intention of defying today’s Supreme Court decision. The requirements on the application for a marriage license are both specific and state mandated. The application and license currently used by Denton County are generated by our software vendor. As previously stated, i took an oath to uphold the law and Section 2.012 of the Family Code states that it is a criminal offense not to comply with this subchapter.
I have asked for additional clarification from the District Attorney’s office and I am awaiting their response to assist in speeding the process.
Essentially, I feel a responsibility to take the time to ensure these licenses are issued properly and legally so that they are valid.
And then this, also posted on a door to the office:
Yes. Certainly it’s all vendor issue, and Juli Luke being a conservative Republican has nothing whatsoever to do with it. That’s definitely it. The vendor thing, or whatever.
Elsewhere in Texas, both Governor Greg Abbott and Attorney General Ken Paxton are running their tiny lil feet off trying to figure out a way to not have to comply with federal law. Abbott issued a memo to all state agencies this afternoon, directing them to protect their employees’ religious liberties, i.e., let them decline to give out same-sex marriage licenses and say it’s a religious thing:
I expect all agencies under my direction to prioritize compliance with the First Amendment to the United States Constitution, Article I of the Texas Constitution, and the Texas Religious Freedom Restoration Act. All state agency heads should ensure that no June 26, 2015 Page 2 one acting on behalf of their agency takes any adverse action against any person, as defined in Chapter 311 of the Texas Government Code, on account of the person’s act or refusal to act that is substantially motivated by sincere religious belief. This order applies to any agency decision, including but not limited to granting or denying benefits, managing agency employees, entering or enforcing agency contracts, licensing and permitting decisions, or enforcing state laws and regulations.
Paxton, meanwhile, also called it an issue of religious liberty, issuing a lengthy statement saying that he’ll always believe marriage is between one man and one woman and no mean liberals can make him think otherwise:
But no court, no law, no rule, and no words will change the simple truth that marriage is the union of one man and one woman. Nothing will change the importance of a mother and a father to the raising of a child. And nothing will change our collective resolve that all Americans should be able to exercise their faith in their daily lives without infringement and harassment.
“We start by recognizing the primacy and importance of our first freedom – religious liberty. The truth is that the debate over the issue of marriage has increasingly devolved into personal and economic aggression against people of faith who have sought to live their lives consistent with their sincerely-held religious beliefs about marriage. In numerous incidents trumpeted and celebrated by a sympathetic media, progressives advocating the anti-traditional marriage agenda have used this issue to publicly mock, deride, and intimidate devout individuals for daring to believe differently than they do. This ruling will likely only embolden those who seek to punish people who take personal, moral stands based upon their conscience and the teachings of their religion.
Many Texas county clerk’s are ignoring Paxton’s implicit call to ignore the SCOTUS ruling and refuse to issue license. Jack Evans and George Harris have been together 55 years, and here they are, at long last, being married this morning in Dallas County:
Your “news report” is clearly an editorial. Your sarcasm is overflowing and your disregard of the opinions of others is obvious.
did anyone say otherwise? where do you see it labeled a “news report”?
God will not be mocked..
All righty then. Which God are you referring to? There are so many.
Actually, there aren’t.
actually, there are.
No, there is one God. God over all. We’re not talking about rocks and sticks shaped to look like something. We are talking about the God that manifested into flesh, walked the earth, was believed on in the world and then taken up into glory. We commonly refer to Him as Jesus. There are no others.
no, /we/ don’t commonly refer to Them as Jesus. see, that’s the /actual/ thing about religious liberty, about freedom of/from Religion.
Hi Shonte-
“Religious freedom” means religious freedom for all. You seem to indicate that it means religious freedom for all as long as they are christians.
Wow , ok — I’m a 45 yr old male. Married 29 years and raised 2 boys. I was raised Catholic and I raised my children the same. Let me be the first to say that NEVER have I been so ashamed of some of my fellow Christians as I am today. These comments are awful. They are judgemental , elitist and full of sarcasm.
We as a people are supposed to unite. We are supposed to love the sinner not the sin. We are supposed to live our lives the way Jesus intended. Who Cares if another human being is marrying someone of the same sex? Yes , it may go against our religious beliefs , irk us internally but when it really comes down to it – it does not affect us at all. If you don’t like sushi don’t eat it. – very simple.
And on this **** would be the end of the human race nonsense. All based on the ability to have children……such foolishness , and coming from educated fellow Americans. In case none of you noticed WE as a human race have done a bang up job at securing the future for our generations to come. We have overpopulated and undernourished our precious planet to the point that extinction is eventually inevitable. Our children and society in general has become hypnotized by handheld devices , gone are the days of genuine human interaction. Homosexuality had/has nothing to do with our demise as a people. We as the HUMAN race have this incessant need to control , dominate and destroy everything – including one another. It’s sad but true —- we will eventually be doomed and have absolutely nobody to thank for it but ourselves. Perhaps then , we can all become United — yeah probably , right before it all ends………Think about it
you were doing well until the “love the sinner…” BS. maybe you picked it up again, but i stopped reading there.
Your post is a light in a tunnel. Keep shining!
If yiou believe so much in an individual’s right to exercise their own beliefs . . . why do you feel you have a right to infringe on the behavior and beliefs of a gay couple?
already have my own issues with Denton County Judges in the family courts. It seems like the majority of the Judges in Denton County like to push their own agendas instead of doing what is best for the people. Shame on her and shame on Denton County.
Okay, so people are saying Marriage is Christian…Dude..you look it up Christianity came after Jesus Jewish is not Christian..Geeze if you’re going to argue something..educate yourself first…Marriage was not a Christian institution…I mean come on REALLY…guess what it isn’t yours…
no, no, no, no, no!! education may contradict what they believe – i mean, what they KNOW!
HOW DOES PEOPLE GETTING GAY MARRIED AFFECT ANYONE’S RELIGION?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?! This will never make sense, anyone against the right of these couples to get married is just using their religion as a cover for their own bigotry. No matter what your rleigion is, who someone else gets marrired to and goes to bed with every night has absolutely no effect of weather or not you makeit in to heaven. This ***** needs to do her job and realize we have seperation of church and state for a reason, and this should be grounds for loosing your job.
it effects their religion because they’re not in control… of everything; it’s against their dominionist beliefs. you know, like the Taliban, DAESH, etc.
The idea and practice of marriage came along long before organized religions.
What hateful behavior from these politicians! The same mentality that said 150 years ago “slavery is God’s plan” — and 100 years ago “women voting will destroy the family” — and 50 years ago “the races must be kept separate by God’s design.” Their hypocrisy is heresy: Jesus said we will be judged by the content of our hearts. Not our skin color, gender or sexual preference. These hate-filled power-grabbers don’t believe in God or America.
marriage is and can only be between one man and one woman.
until she displeases him, like being “uppity,” wanting to be on top or equal, then it’s between one man and the woman who magically is there after he wakes from passing out and a part of his anatomy is missing.
just like in the Bible.