CNN anchor Alisyn Camerota badgered Rick Santorum over Kim Davis, repeating the cliche that the Supreme Court sets “the law of the land.” Santorum, sounding exasperated, didn’t back down.
I have a question for Ms. Camerota: Did she badger Barack Obama, Eric Holder, and countless liberal attorneys general and governors across the country when they were ignoring and attacking natural marriage laws at the state and federal level? Or does the media only selectively apply their “rule of law” rhetoric?
Transcript via CNN.com:
ALISYN CAMEROTA: Well, that was Kentucky clerk, Kim Davis, back at work and declaring moment ago that she will not authorize same-sex marriage licenses. That brings back the controversy all over again. So, let’s bring in Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. senator from Pennsylvania, Rick Santorum. Hi, Senator. Thanks for being here.
RICK SANTORUM: Thank you, Alisyn. Good to be with you.
CAMEROTA: What would you advise Kim Davis to do this morning?
SANTORUM: I would advise Kim Davis to follow her conscience. You know, the Supreme Court decision made no provision of what county clerks should do. In fact, they had wrote extensively about how, after this decision, there had to be accommodations. There had to be things worked out by the legislatures and others, as to how to implement the court decision. And Kim Davis has every right to say that, you know, this should be a religious accommodation. I believe the state of Kentucky, as well as the federal government, should be passing things like the First Amendment Defense Act, which provides for accommodations for people inside and outside of government who has religious convictions that differ with the court ruling.
CAMEROTA: I mean, what the Supreme Court decided is not allowing gay marriage is discrimination. So, that is the law of the land. It is discrimination not to provide — listen, Senator. I mean, my point is this — I’m sure there are lots of laws that you yourself don’t agree with, but you follow the law. That’s what we do as Americans.
SANTORUM: Number one, because the Supreme Court says something doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a law of the land. It’s — my belief is when the Supreme Court acts beyond their constitutional authority, then we have every obligation to fight that. I think, if you look at Justice Roberts’ opinion, he said there’s no constitutional basis for this decision, that the court acted beyond its authority. I think it’s the responsibility principally of the Congress and the president to push back when the court — that’s called checks and balances. When the court exceeds its authority, the Congress and the Senate — the Congress, excuse me, and the president should push back.
CAMEROTA: Sure, and there’s a process for that. I mean, yes —
SANTORUM: I agree with that.
CAMEROTA: — the Congress can go through passing its own legislation. There’s a process. But at the moment, today, the Supreme Court has decreed the law of the land. And she is defying it. I mean, do we have a country, if everyone acts on their own individual personal religious beliefs and decides not to follow certain laws?
SANTORUM: Again, the Supreme Court made a decision about same-sex marriage, again, which I believe was beyond their authority to do so. But it did not provide anything that Kim Davis had to issue a marriage license. It said, very clearly, that there had to be accommodations provided for people of faith. And what Kim Davis was not cited for violating the Supreme Court decision. She was cited in contempt of court of one judge deciding that this is what the Supreme Court required.
CAMEROTA: Okay.
SANTORUM: That’s why she’s asking for Kentucky to step in and to do what they should do, which is clarify what the obligations are in the state of Kentucky.
CAMEROTA: Okay. So, if you were the governor of Kentucky today, would you take her name off the marriage licenses as she’s asking? Would you force her to resign? What would you do?
SANTORUM: I would take her — I would accommodate her religious convictions, allow the — you know, allow the process to go forward. You know, if I were Steve Beshear, I’m not saying what I would do, if I was the governor, that governor, I think that’s something that that governor could probably do within his own conscience. I would have different issues if I were governor, but that’s what I would do if I was — I was the governor of Kentucky today.
Thomas Valentine is a researcher for APIA and a junior at the Franciscan University of Steubenville.
