Latest Breaking News

mahatmakanejeeves

(57,659 posts) Fri Jul 21, 2017, 01:55 PM Jul 2017

State of Kentucky must pay nearly $225,000 in legal fees for Kim Davis case

Source: Lexington Herald-Leader and Kentucky.com

JULY 21, 2017 12:08 PM
State of Kentucky must pay nearly $225,000 in legal fees for Kim Davis case

BY JOHN CHEVES
jcheves@herald-leader.com

The couples who sued Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis in 2015 for the right to be granted marriage licenses are entitled to nearly $225,000 in legal fees and court costs, and the state of Kentucky not Davis herself or Rowan County must pay them, a federal judge ruled Friday.

Although Kentucky county clerks are elected at the county level, the Rowan County Fiscal Court had no influence over Davis decision in the summer of 2015 to protest the legalization of same-sex marriage in the United States by refusing to issue marriage licenses to anyone, U.S. District Judge David Bunning wrote in his decision. Therefore, it would be unfair to hold the county government responsible for her actions, Bunning wrote. ... By contrast, Bunning wrote, Davis authority to issue marriage licenses was awarded to her by the state government.

And had the state chosen to, Bunning continued, it could have pursued criminal penalties against Davis for official misconduct then-Attorney General Jack Conway, running for governor in 2015, refused a formal request to do so or the legislature could have impeached and removed her from office. Instead, the legislature modified the marriage license form to appease Davis by removing county clerks names as she requested, he wrote.

Bunning rejected holding Davis personally responsible for the debt because, he said, the couples prevailed against her in her official capacity as a public official.
....

John Cheves: 859-231-3266, @BGPolitics

Read more: http://www.kentucky.com/news/politics-government/article162885388.html

23 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

State of Kentucky must pay nearly $225,000 in legal fees for Kim Davis case (Original Post) mahatmakanejeeves Jul 2017 OP

Once again the taxpayers take in the shorts Rural_Progressive Jul 2017 #1

Surprise, Judge David Bunning is the son of former US Senator Jim Bunning noted right-wing wack-job. FreeStateDemocrat Jul 2017 #2

Poor James was a helluva pitcher RVN VET71 Jul 2017 #8

RW hack judges are deplorable too. lark Jul 2017 #3

Blood from stone? djg21 Jul 2017 #9

Depends on how badly the plaintiff needs the money. lark Jul 2017 #20

Its not the plaintiff. djg21 Jul 2017 #21

Kim is a thief who took pay for a job she refused to do... A 'Christian'. keithbvadu2 Jul 2017 #4

Yeah for the ACLU Gothmog Jul 2017 #5

yeppers bluestarone Jul 2017 #16

This is the 2nd negative news coming out of Kentucky today on DU BigmanPigman Jul 2017 #6

Excuse me? The couples who sued were reimbursed for their legal fees. mahatmakanejeeves Jul 2017 #7

Yeah, but the state's taxpayers must pay HER fees for HER actions. BigmanPigman Jul 2017 #10

The majority of the population vote for Republicans is what's going on maxsolomon Jul 2017 #13

The bad news is that taxpayers are footing the bill. Downtown Hound Jul 2017 #11

kinda think bluestarone Jul 2017 #12

she'll be re-elected maxsolomon Jul 2017 #14

which bluestarone Jul 2017 #15

Taxpayers on hook for Kentucky clerk Kim Davis' fight against gay marriage mahatmakanejeeves Jul 2017 #17

JUDGE GRANTS OVER $224,000 IN FEES & COSTS IN LAWSUIT AGAINST COUNTY CLERK KIM DAVIS mahatmakanejeeves Jul 2017 #18

That biatch Miigwech Jul 2017 #19

Let Kim pay her own legal fees. Blue Idaho Jul 2017 #22

Most of the state voted for this so i don't feel bad for them JI7 Jul 2017 #23

Rural_Progressive

(1,107 posts)

1. Once again the taxpayers take in the shorts

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Fri Jul 21, 2017, 02:06 PM

Jul 2017

Think any of them will even notice or make a complaint about how their hard earned money is being spent? Probably not.

FreeStateDemocrat

(2,654 posts)

2. Surprise, Judge David Bunning is the son of former US Senator Jim Bunning noted right-wing wack-job.

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Fri Jul 21, 2017, 02:18 PM

Jul 2017

Crooked Puke party keep it in the family values, gotta love nepotism, working out real well right now in the WH circus of horrors.

Good ole boys club is still thriving.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Bunning

RVN VET71

(2,698 posts)

8. Poor James was a helluva pitcher

Reply to FreeStateDemocrat (Reply #2)

Fri Jul 21, 2017, 03:53 PM

Jul 2017

Pitched a perfect game -- if you know baseball, you know what an amazing achievement that is -- on Father's Day, for chrissakes. Was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame, too. But it is and will always be his RW doucherie that he'll be remembered for.

lark

(23,166 posts)

3. RW hack judges are deplorable too.

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Fri Jul 21, 2017, 02:31 PM

Jul 2017

Fpr shame judge. She should have to pay the fees herself, the hate filled bitch.

djg21

(1,803 posts)

9. Blood from stone?

Reply to lark (Reply #3)

Fri Jul 21, 2017, 03:56 PM

Jul 2017

I don’t have an issue with this. It clearly is intended to protect the plaintiffs and their attorneys. What good is a judgment and award of fees that cannot be executed because Davis has no money?

I also think such a result will give the State pause to consider its position and perhaps adopt appropriate legislation..

lark

(23,166 posts)

20. Depends on how badly the plaintiff needs the money.

Reply to djg21 (Reply #9)

Sat Jul 22, 2017, 10:12 AM

Jul 2017

If this hurt them then yes, it's better for them and I did think about that. If they have plenty of money and aren't really hurt financially, then I think Kim should have to pay restitution. Let her keep her job and attach a good part of her wages and give it to them. That would be fair.

djg21

(1,803 posts)

21. Its not the plaintiff.

Reply to lark (Reply #20)

Sat Jul 22, 2017, 07:45 PM

Jul 2017

The fee goes to the attorneys. They didn’t work for nothing.

keithbvadu2

(36,949 posts)

4. Kim is a thief who took pay for a job she refused to do... A 'Christian'.

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Fri Jul 21, 2017, 02:32 PM

Jul 2017

Kim is a thief who took pay for a job she refused to do.

A 'Christian'.

Gothmog

(145,650 posts)

5. Yeah for the ACLU

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Fri Jul 21, 2017, 03:42 PM

Jul 2017

bluestarone

(17,062 posts)

16. yeppers

Reply to Gothmog (Reply #5)

Fri Jul 21, 2017, 04:43 PM

Jul 2017

thank God for them

BigmanPigman

(51,638 posts)

6. This is the 2nd negative news coming out of Kentucky today on DU

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Fri Jul 21, 2017, 03:44 PM

Jul 2017

What is going on with this state?

mahatmakanejeeves

(57,659 posts)

7. Excuse me? The couples who sued were reimbursed for their legal fees.

Reply to BigmanPigman (Reply #6)

Fri Jul 21, 2017, 03:47 PM

Jul 2017

That's bad how?

BigmanPigman

(51,638 posts)

10. Yeah, but the state's taxpayers must pay HER fees for HER actions.

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Reply #7)

Fri Jul 21, 2017, 04:17 PM

Jul 2017

She should be forced to pay out of her own pocket in my opinion.

And I just read a third negative thing that happened in KY since I wrote this. What is going on?

maxsolomon

(33,426 posts)

13. The majority of the population vote for Republicans is what's going on

Reply to BigmanPigman (Reply #10)

Fri Jul 21, 2017, 04:30 PM

Jul 2017

So eventually it backfires on them.

Same as any state with the GOP in charge.

Downtown Hound

(12,618 posts)

11. The bad news is that taxpayers are footing the bill.

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Reply #7)

Fri Jul 21, 2017, 04:19 PM

Jul 2017

Kim Davis was an elected politician. The state could not remove her. She made her own choice to defy the law. She alone should be held accountable for her actions, not the taxpayers.

bluestarone

(17,062 posts)

12. kinda think

Reply to Downtown Hound (Reply #11)

Fri Jul 21, 2017, 04:30 PM

Jul 2017

that the people elected her and it's time people pay for there fuckups? i'm happy the ones that brought the suit don't have to pay for sure! idiots goota think twice before they elect some moron!! That's all there is to it

maxsolomon

(33,426 posts)

14. she'll be re-elected

Reply to bluestarone (Reply #12)

Fri Jul 21, 2017, 04:32 PM

Jul 2017

and if she ran for a state-wide office, she'd win that one, too.

the voting public have the memory of goldfish.

bluestarone

(17,062 posts)

15. which

Reply to maxsolomon (Reply #14)

Fri Jul 21, 2017, 04:34 PM

Jul 2017

makes my post even better

mahatmakanejeeves

(57,659 posts)

17. Taxpayers on hook for Kentucky clerk Kim Davis' fight against gay marriage

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Fri Jul 21, 2017, 04:49 PM

Jul 2017

Hat tip, JoeMyGod: http://www.joemygod.com/2017/07/21/kentucky-federal-court-orders-state-pay-222k-legal-fees-gay-couples-sued-kim-davis/

Taxpayers on hook for Kentucky clerk Kim Davis' fight against gay marriage
Andrew Wolfson, @adwolfson Published 11:44 a.m. ET July 21, 2017 | Updated 3:43 p.m. ET July 21, 2017

In a victory for same-sex couples denied marriage licenses by Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis, a federal judge Friday awarded $222,695 in fees to their attorneys.

The ACLU of Kentucky hailed the ruling, saying it should serve as a reminder to public officials in Kentucky of the cost of violating civil liberties.

“It is unfortunate that Kentucky taxpayers will likely bear the financial burden of the unlawful actions and litigation strategies of an elected official,but those same voters are free to take that information into account at the ballot box.” William Sharp, the ACLU’s legal director, said in a statement.

BREAKING: Judge GRANTS our request for $222,695.00 in attorneys' fees & $2,008.08 in costs in #KimDavis marriage refusals case (more soon)

Link to tweet

Many Q's on our attorneys' fees win in #KimDavis case over WHO has to pay. A: The Commonwealth (read ruling http://www.aclu-ky.org/articles/judge-grants-over-224000-in-attorney-fees-in-lawsuit-against-county-clerk-kim-davis/ …)

Link to tweet

mahatmakanejeeves

(57,659 posts)

18. JUDGE GRANTS OVER $224,000 IN FEES & COSTS IN LAWSUIT AGAINST COUNTY CLERK KIM DAVIS

Reply to mahatmakanejeeves (Original post)

Fri Jul 21, 2017, 04:52 PM

Jul 2017

JUDGE GRANTS OVER $224,000 IN FEES & COSTS IN LAWSUIT AGAINST COUNTY CLERK KIM DAVIS

U.S. District Court Judge David Bunning has awarded $222, 695 in attorneys’ fees and $2,008.08 in costs to the plaintiffs in the case against the Rowan County Clerk who denied them marriage licenses.

In civil rights cases in which the plaintiffs prevail against the government, federal law provides that the plaintiffs are entitled to recover their reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs, in part, to deter government officials from committing future violations of individuals’ rights.

William Sharp, legal director ACLU of Kentucky, had this reaction:

“We are pleased with today’s ruling, and we hope this serves as a reminder to Kentucky officials that willful violations of individuals’ civil liberties, such as what occurred here, will not only be challenged but will also prove costly.” He added, “It is unfortunate that Kentucky taxpayers will likely bear the financial burden of the unlawful actions and litigation strategies of an elected official, but those same voters are free to take that information into account at the ballot box.”

A copy of the court’s order can be found here.