Second Texas Clerk Quits Rather Than Issue Same-Sex Marriage Licenses

Jim Obergefell, the named plaintiff in the Obergefell v. Hodges Supreme Court case that legalized same sex marriage nationwide, is backed by supporters of the courts ruling on same-sex marriage on the step of the Tex... Jim Obergefell, the named plaintiff in the Obergefell v. Hodges Supreme Court case that legalized same sex marriage nationwide, is backed by supporters of the courts ruling on same-sex marriage on the step of the Texas Capitol during a rally Monday, June 29, 2015, in Austin, Texas. The Supreme Court declared Friday that same-sex couples have a right to marry anywhere in the United States. (AP Photo/Eric Gay) MORE LESS
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A second Texas county clerk stepped down this week to avoid having to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, the Texas Observer reported Wednesday.

Live Oak County Clerk Karen Irving said in an email, according to the Observer, that she was unable to uphold her oath of office because of the historic ruling in favor of gay marriage. Her final day was Wednesday, the magazine reported.

More than two weeks following the Obergefell v. Hodges ruling, Live Oak County hasn’t issued a single marriage license to a same-sex couple because of “technical issues,” she said.

Irving said the county will finally be able to issue licenses to same-sex couples at the end of the week — after she leaves office.

“We’ll be up and ready to go tomorrow afternoon and for sure on Friday, unless there’s a glitch with the vendor, but I don’t think there will be,” she told the Observer.

She had been clerk since 2003.

Rusk County Clerk Joyce Lewis-Kugle was the first Texas county clerk to announce her resignation in early July rather than issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

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  1. Good. The fewer bigots in government jobs the better.

  2. If you can’t do the job, don’t do the job.

  3. Live Oak County is about 12,000 people…heavily reliant on Federal money…

  4. Got to Walmart and get a job… oh wait, the Jade Helm folks are using them to round up idiots.

  5. Some people can’t even set aside their hatred in their own self interest. I hate to wish ill will toward anyone, but I hope this woman’s well publicized bigotry precludes her from getting a job anywhere else except maybe at the church where she learned bigotry.

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