Republican presidential candidate Scott Walker on Thursday called for a “reasonable accommodation” that would allow a Kentucky clerk sent to jail for refusing to issue marriage licenses to freely practice her religion.
“The bottom line in America is we are a nation of laws," the Wisconsin governor told TheBlaze. "But part of those laws — in fact, the most important of those laws — is the Constitution. The Constitution is very clear about protecting freedom of religion, and the freedom to be able to practice religious beliefs in this country. I think it’s incredibly important those rights be protected in today’s society.”
Theo Stroomer/Getty Images
A federal judge held Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis in contempt of court and sent her to jail until she complies with a court's ruling to grant marriage licenses to same-sex couples. The Supreme Court ruled in June that same-sex marriage is legal in all 50 states. Davis stopped issuing all marriage licenses, saying that to issue them to gay couples would violate her Christian beliefs.
Walker said there should be a way to balance the right to practice one's religious beliefs and yet uphold the law.
“We’ve been able to balance that in Wisconsin with very specific language even in our state’s Constitution about religious liberty,” Walker said. “At the same time, we’ve been able to uphold the law.”
“I’ve just got to think there has ... to be some sort of reasonable accommodation that would allow this woman to practice her religious rights,” he added.
