Trump: SCOTUS Ruling Is The Law, But Clerk Should Be Able To ‘Take A Pass’

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks to supporters during a rally at the TD Convention Center, Aug. 27, 2015, in Greenville, S.C. (AP Photo/Richard Shiro)
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Donald Trump on Friday morning weighed in on Kentucky clerk Kim Davis, who has been jailed for refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, arguing that while the Supreme Court ruling on gay marriage should be followed, clerks who object should be able to opt out.

“The decision came down from the Supreme Court,” Trump said when asked about Davis on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “So I’m a believer in both sides of the picture.”

“The simple answer is let her clerks do it,” he continued. “From what I understand, she’s not letting her clerks do it either.”

Trump said that it is “a very, very sticky situation,” and that Davis should either be allowed to opt out of issuing same-sex marriage licenses, or gay couples should have to travel to a clerk nearby for a license.

“I hate to see her be put in jail,” Trump said.

“Morning Joe” co-host Joe Scarborough jumped in to ask Trump if the Supreme Court ruling is the law of the land.

“You have to go with it,” Trump responded. “The decision has been made and that is the law of the land.”

But he again reiterated that Davis should be able to “take a pass.”

Former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) gave a similar response when asked about Davis on Thursday. He told reporters that Davis “is sworn to uphold the law,” but suggested that clerks be able to opt out of certain duties.

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Notable Replies

  1. That’s what you call playing both ends to meet the middle.

    If I were to neglect some portion of my job because I found it unpleasant and said “let someone else do the dirty work because it’s against my beliefs” I’d expect to be fired.

  2. I have a few laws I’d like to pass on, but that’s really not an option. Maybe for Trump it is because he’s super rich and the super rich are not like you and me, but for most of us, including 4 times married Kim Davis, the hypocritical serial adulterer (according to her own church), just passing on laws you don’t like is not an option. As she is now learning.

  3. maybe its time to make people running for President pass a Constitutional literacy test…

  4. And the people in the media asking them questions. As I understand it, since 1803 the right of the Supreme Court to have the last word in these things has not been a matter of opinion.

  5. Trump said that it is “a very, very sticky situation,” and that Davis should either be allowed to opt out of issuing same-sex marriage licenses, or gay couples should have to travel to a clerk nearby for a license.

    Couples having to travel to a nearby clerk is the very definition of “separate but equal” that the Supreme Court found unconstitutional in 1954’s Brown decision.

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