2016 GOP Hopeful Carly Fiorina Says Clerk's Refusal to Issue Gay Marriage Licenses 'Inappropriate'

 2016 GOP presidential hopeful Carly Fiorina has spoken out regarding a county clerk in Kentucky who has denied giving out same-sex marriage licenses, saying the clerk should issue the licenses due to her position as a government employee.

Fiorina said in a recent interview with talk show host Hugh Hewitt that Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis' refusal to issue same-sex marriage licenses is "not appropriate."

"It's clear religious liberty is under assault in many, many ways," Fiorina said, adding "When you are a government employee, I think you take on a different role."

"When you are a government employee as opposed to say, an employee of another kind of organization, then in essence, you are agreeing to act as an arm of the government," Fiorina added.

"And, while I disagree with this court's decision, their actions are clear," Fiorina said. "And so I think in this particular case, this woman now needs to make a decision of conscience — is she prepared to continue to work for the government, be paid for by the government in which case she needs to execute the government's will, or does she feel so strongly about this that she wants to sever her employment with the government and go seek employment elsewhere where her religious liberties will be paramount over her duties as as government employee?"

Davis was held in contempt and jailed on Thursday after refusing to issue same-sex marriage licenses despite being ordered by the Supreme Court to do so.