Kim Davis to Attend State of the Union

UPDATE: Republican Congressman Jim Jordan of Ohio confirmed his office invited Kim Davis with the blessing of the Family Research Council. More here.

Antigay Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis will have another moment in the spotlight Tuesday night -- she'll be attending President Obama's State of the Union address, thanks to arrangements made by the Family Research Council, the Washington Examiner reports.

The Examiner, a conservative publication, called Davis's attendance part of an effort to counter "President Obama's effort to stack the audience with those who support his causes." Jim Obergefell, a plaintiff in the marriage equality case decided by the Supreme Court last year, will be attending at the invitation of the president.

The Family Research Council -- classified as an anti-LGBT hate group by the progressive Southern Poverty Law Center -- told the Examiner Monday that the organization had reserved tickets for Davis and her top attorney, Mat Staver of Liberty Counsel.

Davis famously shut down marriage license operations in Rowan County, Ky., rather than issue licenses to same-sex couples after the Supreme Court ruling, which she said violated her Christian beliefs; it was a "heaven or hell" issue for her, she said at one point. After several couples sued, she went to jail for five days in September for violating a federal judge's order that she issue marriage licenses to all couples without discrimination.

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Since then, a deputy in her office has been serving same-sex couples, and she has removed her name from marriage licenses. The new governor of Kentucky, Matt Bevin, has now issued an executive order removing all clerks' names from licenses.

Davis was also singled out by Family Research Council president Tony Perkins in his State of the Family address, which she attended Monday night in Washington, the Examiner reports. "Kim stood up courageously against the power of the state and the [American Civil Liberties Union] and she, along with religious liberty in Kentucky, prevailed!" Perkins said, according to an advance copy of his speech provided to the publication.