Wyoming Judge Facing Ouster Over Stance on Same-Sex Marriage; Associated Press via New York Times, 5/9/16

Associated Press via New York Times; Wyoming Judge Facing Ouster Over Stance on Same-Sex Marriage:

"Neely is fighting removal, arguing she has a constitutional right to voice her opinion. Her lawyers have said no same-sex couples have asked her to preside over their weddings...

In a response to the removal petition, Neely's lawyers stated in a court filing last month that removing her would violate her rights. They quoted a provision of the Wyoming Constitution which prohibits the state from finding a person incompetent to hold public office, "because of his opinion on any matter of religious belief whatever."...

"For me, it's a free speech issue," said Rep. Kendell Kroeker, R-Evansville, one of the lawmakers supporting Neely and a member of the House Judiciary Committee in the Wyoming Legislature. "A judge shouldn't be removed for something that she said outside of her duties as a judge."...

"You can't have a piecemeal government, or government by checkbox for the personal beliefs and bias of people who for a time hold a public office," [Jason] Marsden [executive director of the Denver-based Matthew Shepard Foundation] said. "If you want to hold a public office, you have to serve the public under the law, and if you can't do that, you need to find another line of work.""