Roosevelt County clerk, deputy quit over gay marriage (NM-would be forced to issue licenses)

The Albuquerque Journal ^ | December 21, 2013 | James Monteleone

[CedarDave]

The Roosevelt County clerk and her deputy resigned Friday to avoid issuing same-sex marriage licenses as required by the New Mexico Supreme Court’s landmark opinion Thursday legalizing same-sex marriage statewide.

County Clerk Donna Carpenter, an elected Republican, and Chief Deputy Clerk Janet Collins told other officials of the eastside New Mexico county that they were leaving their jobs because they disagreed with the unanimous Supreme Court ruling.

They personally opposed issuing marriage licenses to gay and lesbian couples, Commissioner Jake Lopez said.

The county clerk “said she would rather resign because she wasn’t going to provide any licenses to people who marry like that,” said Lopez, a Democrat.

“She feels pretty serious about it,” he said. “I had no idea she would quit. She hadn’t even mentioned that she would quit if that would happen. I think everybody expected it (the Supreme Court decision) to go the other way.”

On Friday, Carpenter told the Portales News-Tribune she could not issue same-sex marriage licenses and have “a clear conscience.”

“I felt like I’d be letting down the majority of people who voted for me,” Carpenter said.

[CedarDave]

It is unknown whether other county clerks would resign, but Democratic clerks rushed to change marriage license forms to be "gender neutral" (i.e. spouse 1, spouse 2).

[CedarDave]

NM list PING!

I may not PING for all New Mexico articles. To see New Mexico articles by topic click here: New Mexico Topics

To see NM articles by keyword, click here: New Mexico Keywords

To see the NM Message Page, click here: New Mexico Messages

(The NM list is available on my FR homepage for anyone to use. Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from the list.)
(For ABQ Journal articles requiring a subscription, scroll down to the bottom of the page to view the article for free after answering a question or watching a short video commercial.)

[Repeat Offender]

"I think everybody expected it (the Supreme Court decision) to go the other way.”

Maybe the NM supreme court does "go the other way."

[GeronL]

forced by who?

They should announce that they will not comply with the rogue court

[CedarDave]

"I think everybody expected it (the Supreme Court decision) to go the other way.”

It was a predetermined outcome - liberal judges appointed by liberal Democrats including the lead judge Chavez appointed by previous governor Richardson.

[Viennacon]

Good for her to stand on principle. Now the Democrats will just appoint a stooge to do it though. The NM SC is communistic.

[SandRat]

Bob Hope after the passage of the 1975 Consenting Adult Sex Bill: “I’ve just flown in from California, where they’ve made homosexality legal. I thought I’d get out before they make it compulsory.”

[olezip]

The Roosevelt County clerk and her deputy resigned Friday to avoid issuing same-sex marriage licenses as required by the New Mexico Supreme Court’s landmark opinion Thursday legalizing same-sex marriage statewide.

Who are these leftist lawyers in black robes with disordered minds? How did they got on the New Mexico Supreme Court? Can they be recalled? Do they not have to know anything about basic Biology 101, science, and natural law?

[CedarDave]

They should announce that they will not comply with the rogue court

They really had no choice - they would be sued personally for non-compliance, possibly criminally charged for non-performance of their duties, and removed from office. Bravo to them for standing up for what their conscience told them was wrong. Maybe one can compare in some small way to the few German public servants who refused to agree with edits issued by Nazi's against Jews early in Hitler's reign. We are at the time when Christian beliefs are overturned in favor of humanistic notions that anything goes - gay marriage, abortion, etc. and the rights of the majority are held hostage to the demands of the minority in-your-face Godless crowd.

[redgolum]

Been to Portalis. This is a very small population.

[Mr Rogers]

Portales is a decent place. It is a pity the rest of NM is ruled by liberal hippies and liberal hispanics.

[CedarDave]

Been to Portalis. This is a very small population.A few miles from the Texas state line.

Conservative Lubbock is a lot closer than Albuquerque or Santa Fe.

[CedarDave]

Been to Portalis. This is a very small population.

A few miles from the Texas state line. Conservative Lubbock is a lot closer than Albuquerque or Santa Fe.

[redgolum]

Used to fly into Lubbock. Keep wondering if I know the clerk

[elkfersupper]

I'm experienced at marriage - once for 5 years, once for 25.5 years.

As far as I'm concerned, anyone who wants that crap should be allowed to get it.

[Extremely Extreme Extremist]

Shouldn't have quit; should've just told the court to pound sand.

Then she would have gotten arrested, and conservatives would've leapt to her defense and spotlighted the issue.

WI has an air-tight, state constitutional ban on homo marriage that was upheld by our Supremes. If any activist judge strikes it down, there will be backlash.

[Carthego delenda est]

“They did the right thing by resigning,” said Ivey-Soto, a Democratic state senator from Albuquerque. “They recognized that being a county clerk means following the law.”

[Coldwater Creek]

{ was born in Portales 72 1/2 years ago at 10:10 am By 10:30 I was enrolled in the Baptist Cradle Roll. My grandparents were pioneer's in Roosevelt County. It has always been a very conservative, Bible believing, God fearing place to live. I salute these clerks, and am reminded where I came from, Praise God that at least officials in one county have stood up for what is right. This is a small college/farming town. It will be difficult for them to find a new job.

[madison10]

They ARE following the law, just not the “law” of New Mexico. As with Phil Robertson, there is a different Kingdom to which we are answerable.