Evan Wolfson: Gavin Newsom Situation ‘Complete Opposite’ From Kim Davis

Founder and president of same-sex advocacy group Freedom to Marry Evan Wolfson reacted on Saturday’s “Up with Steve Kornacki” on MSNBC to Rowan County, KY clerk Kim Davis for her refusal to issue same-sex marriage licenses.

When asked why not hold California lieutenant governor Gavin Newsom, who used his power as the mayor of San Francisco to force government clerks to issue gay marriage licenses, to the same standard, Wolfson explained that it’s a “completely opposite situation” because Newsom stopped when he was told he did not have authority.

“Gavin Newsom did something he believed he had the constitutional authority to do. The court said you don’t have the authority. He stopped doing it. There were many voices on the left and the right said, ‘The court needs to decide and once the court decides, there it is.’ It’s the complete opposite of what’s happening here. She has been given an order by a federal judge.”

He added, “She tested the order all the way up to the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court upheld what this judge instructed her to do. The judge brought her back into court to give her a chance to comply with the law. She deliberately chose to defy that law and tried to interfere with her deputies perform performing. It’s a completely opposite situation.”