Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis Released From Jail

Update: Republican Presidential Candidates Rally
Republican presidential candidate Mike Huckabee organized a rally Tuesday just after Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis' release from jail. The Huckabee campaign estimated the rally drew about4,000 people.

If that figure is true, then the town of Grayson’s population doubled due to the influx of Davis’ supporters from around the country. Fellow GOP candidate Ted Cruz piggybacked off the event, applauding Davis for her defiance.

“And what Kentucky did here, what an arrogant imperious federal judge did is imprison a woman because she dared stand for her faith,” he said.

Huckabee, a former Arkansas governor and a Baptist minister, said Davis shouldn’t be jailed for standing up for her religious beliefs against gay marriage.

“If you have to put someone in jail I volunteer to go," he said. "Let me go. Lock me up if you think that’s how freedom is best served.”
Update: Davis Released
Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis was released from an Eastern Kentucky jail on Tuesday.

A federal judge ordered her release on Tuesday on the condition that she not interfere with the issuance of marriage licenses by clerk's deputies in her office. (The document is posted below.)

Davis was ordered into custody Thursday after refusing a federal court order to resume issuing marriage licenses. She's said issuing marriage licenses would violate her deeply held religious beliefs.
Update 2:22 p.m.: ACLU of Kentucky Statement
In a released statement, ACLU of Kentucky legal director William Sharp said:
“This case was brought to ensure that all residents of Rowan County, gay and straight, could obtain marriage licenses. That goal has been achieved. The Kentucky Attorney General and counsel for Rowan County have said the marriage licenses are valid. We are relying on those representations, and our clients look forward to proceeding with their plans to marry.”
The ACLU of Kentucky represented four couples who sued Davis, leading to U.S. District Judge David Bunning's order for her to issue marriage licenses. Though Davis has been ordered to issue marriage licenses, the lawsuit is still pending.
Update 2:14 p.m.: Candidates Arrive
Presidential candidates Mike Huckabee and Ted Cruz arrived Tuesday afternoon at the Carter County Detention Center to visit Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis, who is slated to be released later in the day.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Matt Bevin accompanied Cruz to the jail, Kentucky Public Radio's Ryland Barton reports.

Earlier: Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis will be released from an Eastern Kentucky jail, provided she does not interfere with the issuance of marriage licenses by her deputies.

U.S. District Judge David Bunning ordered Davis into the custody of U.S. Marshals on Thursday. Davis had refused to issue marriage licenses since the U.S. Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage in June. She's said issuing the documents to same-sex couples violates her deeply held religious beliefs.

Last month, Bunning ordered Davis to resume issuing marriage licenses, but she remained defiant. Several of the deputy clerks in her office began issuing marriage licenses to all couples on Friday.

On Tuesday, Bunning ordered Davis to be released from the Carter County Detention Center. But he wrote that she could not interfere with her deputy clerks issuing the documents.

Davis' fight against same-sex marriage has drawn national attention to the small towns of Grayson — where she was jailed — and Morehead, where she works.

On Tuesday, Republican presidential candidates Mike Huckabee and Ted Cruz were expected in Grayson.

Matt Bevin, the Republican candidate for governor, has also planned a visit.

We'll have more later today.

Here's the document: