Anti-Defamation League: Step Aside If Religious Values Keep You From Doing Your Job

Keith Swafford, left, and Jon Coffee join hands as they are married by Pastor Chris Buice at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church Friday, June 26, 2015, in Knoxville, Tenn. They are the first same-sex ... Keith Swafford, left, and Jon Coffee join hands as they are married by Pastor Chris Buice at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church Friday, June 26, 2015, in Knoxville, Tenn. They are the first same-sex couple to be married in Knoxville after the Supreme Court ruled in favor of same-sex marriage nationwide. (Jessica Tezak/Knoxville News Sentinel via AP) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

The Anti-Defamation League released a statement Thursday that argued public officials should step aside if their religious beliefs prevent them from performing their job’s duties.

Kim Davis, a Kentucky clerk who refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, was found in contempt of court and put into federal custody Thursday.

The statement said that Davis’ religious beliefs shouldn’t be questioned or challenged, but that she should perform the duties assigned to her.

The bot­tom line is that she has no right, con­sti­tu­tional or oth­er­wise, to refuse to do the job the state of Ken­tucky pays her to do.

The statement continued:

If Ms. Davis or oth­ers feel that they can­not ful­fill the duties they were selected to per­form, they should step aside and allow oth­ers to serve the community.

Read the full statement.

Latest Livewire
Comments
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Associate Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: