Town Clerk Rose Marie Belforti
People for the American Way has called for the resignation of a town clerk in Upstate New York because she has refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.
On Aug. 30, Ledyard Town Clerk Rose Marie Belforti refused to issue a license to a lesbian couple. Ledyard is southwest of Syracuse in the Finger Lakes Region of the state.
Because of her opposition to marriage equality, Belforti delegated the job of issuing all marriage licenses to a subordinate. She turned the couple away and said they’d have to return another day.
In an interview with the right-wing Christian website CitizenLink, which is affiliated with Focus on the Family. Belforti said she objects to same-sex marriage because it could lead to bestiality. Ironically, the site used a picture of the clerk with her cow.
The women turned to PFAW.
“If a public official simply decides to shirk the obligations of her office, then she should resign and be replaced by someone who will do the job and carry out state law. Enforcement of the Marriage Equality Act is not subject to the opinion of town clerks – it is the right of all New Yorkers,” said PFAW President Michael Keegan.
The town will decide if the clerk will be replaced for shirking her duties and PFAW is considering legal action.
The group argues that town clerks do not have the right to decide which state laws to follow and which state licenses to issue. A clerk who does not believe in hunting doesn’t have the right to refuse to issue hunting licenses. And no one is asking the clerk to attend the wedding. Just issue the license. That’s what she ran for office to do.
Her defense is that New York law requires employers to accommodate employees’ religious beliefs and the town would have to accept hers. She said she will seek the help of Alliance Defense Fund, a conservative legal group.
UPDATE: From the Syracuse Post-Standard, Auburn City Clerk Debby McCormick agreed with Dallas Voice about issuing hunting licenses even if you don’t like hunting.
“We took an oath to uphold the state constitution. We’re supposed to treat everyone the same, it’s part of our job,” McCormick said. “I don’t like to hunt or fish but I issue hunting and fishing licenses.”
Because Belforti is an elected official, she cannot be fired by the town even though the couple is proceeding with their lawsuit.
On first glance it looks like Steven Tyler standing next to a black newt gingrich . Good Lord – always a nut in every field.
That is truly repulsive. Get her out of office and put someone in there who upholds the law, not their own bigoted opinions.
The cow is a nice touch, and yes, Uncle JoJo, there is a Steven Tyler look-alike going on there! She could be his stunt double. I try to respect other peoples opinions, but her personal life should not be effecting her work like and the lives of the people she is required to serve as part of her job description. I say to the curb with her. Perhaps she can get a preaching job behind a pulpit in a smaller town…and maybe they’ll be accepting of her lifestyle with that cow!
“Belforti said she objects to same-sex marriage because it could lead to bestiality.” Funny, opposite sex marriage might lead to the exact same thing for anyone married to her…
Religious beliefs at work that do not prevent one from doing one’s job may be OK. I won’t hire a person who cannot work Friday afternoon and evenings if I need coverage at those times. The law won’t make me hire such an employee because the beliefs interfere with the ability to do the job.
This is a case where the so-called religious beliefs DO interfere with the ability of this person to do her job.
I wonder if she even knows what her religion says about homosexuality? She doesn’t look like she knows much of the other aspects of her religion either, whatever they may be. She is likely breaking many of these religioous superstitions in her everyday life without being aware of them.
Jessica: your comments remind me of an old joke that I still repeat from time to time. Do you know what heaven is? It’s where the Baptists drink in front of each other.
Accomodation of religious practice means things like letting you wear religious garb, or have allow time away for special services. Issuing a license is an administrative task (“ministerial act”, but not “minister” in the sense of clergy), and has no impact on her ability to follow her religion. If she can’t stand to be around people “not like her” then she needs to resign and find another job.
In the clerk’s defense I would say that probably when she took on the job there wasn’t such a thing as same sex marriage, so she was OK with the job. Now the law has introduced this thing, which she does not agree with – I would give her a grace period (6 months? 1 year?) to find another job and during this period she would be exempted from issuing the licences; but after this period either she finds another job or will have to do whatever her duty is.
Anyone who looks like Bob Dylan’s mom should not be posing with bovine. The photo sort of explains the entire story.