A county clerk in Arkansas plans to resign on Tuesday due to a moral objection to issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples, ArkansasOnline reported on Monday.
Dana Guffey, who served as a clerk in Cleburne County for 24 years, said that her decision to leave the post was not made out of hate, according to ArkansasOnline.
Arkansas state Sen. Jason Rapert (R) published a tweet on Sunday with the news that a clerk in the state would resign over the Supreme Court ruling that same-sex couples have the right to marry.
And it begins – I have just been advised one Arkansas County Clerk will resign before issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples. #resist
— Sen. Jason Rapert (@jasonrapert) June 28, 2015
Rapert said he would support clerks who refuse to issue licenses to same-sex couples.
“I encourage all political leaders of Arkansas and leaders in the faith community to rally around County Clerks who choose to refuse to comply with an unjust ruling that violates religious freedom and states rights,” he wrote in a Sunday Facebook post. “I encourage all likeminded political leaders around the entire nation to do the same. We cannot sit idly by while 5 robed lawyers try to seize power from the states and the people.”
He also indicated that he agreed with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s decision to support clerks who want to opt out of issuing marriage licenses to gay couples for religious reasons.
Arkansas should strongly consider reviewing the stance on County Clerk’s religious liberty. Texas is right on this: https://t.co/afeEcq0L7s
— Sen. Jason Rapert (@jasonrapert) June 30, 2015
Polk County Clerk Terri Harrison, the president of the Arkansas Association of County Clerks, told ArkansasOnline on Monday that she was not aware of any clerks resigning over the Supreme Court’s gay marriage ruling.
H/t Huffington Post
This post has been updated.
