Kim Davis' fourth husband says clerk won't resign: 'Tell Judge Bunning he's a butt'

The current husband of Kim Davis, the Kentucky county clerk jailed for contempt of court, insulted the judge who sentenced the defiant public official to jail for refusing to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples.

Like Davis, U.S. District Court Judge David Bunning -- the son of a Republican former U.S. senator and a George W. Bush appointee -- disagrees with the U.S. Supreme Court ruling that essentially legalized same-sex marriage in all 50 states.

But unlike Davis, the federal judge does not believe his personal feelings about the ruling should trump the law.

Bunning ordered Davis, the Rowan County clerk, to be jailed indefinitely until she agreed to follow court orders to issue marriage licenses to all couples or authorized her deputy clerks to do so.

Davis would also be released from jail if she resigned -- something her husband said she would not do.

"She won't resign, I promise you," said Joe Davis. "Until something gives, she'll be there."

Joe Davis, who is both the second and fourth husband to the thrice-divorced clerk, said he went out to eat Thursday with the five deputy clerks who agreed to issue licenses to same-sex couples.

He said he had no hard feelings against them.

Joe Davis said he went out to eat with the five deputy clerks who agreed in court Thursday to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. He said he anticipates that they will keep their word and has no hard feelings against them despite Kim's adamant refusal to authorize the forms.

But he blasted Kentucky's Democratic Gov. Steve Beshear for not having the "backbone" to call a special legislative session to address his wife's case.

"This country is gonna go to Hades in a handbag," Joe Davis said. "As my daddy says, 'even a dog has better sense than the government.'"

Joe Davis also slammed Bunning, who said he ordered the clerk to jail because her supporters would likely pay any fines she was levied for continuing to flout the law.

"To me, Judge Bunning is no different than a judge in high school or out here on the street," Joe Davis said. He's a bully."

He asked another reporter to deliver a message from him to the judge.

“Tell Judge Bunning he’s a butt," Joe Davis said.