The most recent round of hysteria concerning Kim Davis—the Kentucky law clerk who denied gay couples their marriage certificates—centered on her alleged private meeting with Pope Francis and, more specifically, whether or not he encouraged her to “stay strong.” While it’s clear some level of interaction occurred, the dramatization peddled by Liberty Counsel, the organization representing Davis, fits into a long line of pretty blatant misrepresentation by the advocacy group and its founder, Mat Staver.
Staver founded Liberty Counsel in 1989 as a nonprofit, evangelical law and lobbying firm. His intention, which is acutely echoed by the firm, has been to “preserve religious liberty and help create and maintain a society in which everyone will have the opportunity to discover the truth that will give true freedom.” As evidenced by Kim Davis and a number of other high profile clients, there is a big market for religious litigation in America, and that’s all quite okay. However, the ease and willingness with which Staver is prepared to lie is not so admissible.
While the purposefully leaked Pope Francis story stole most of the headlines in Kim Davis related coverage, Staver managed to lie even more overtly about an already controversial topic. While speaking at the 2015 Values Voter Summit—an evangelical and conservative conference hosted by the Family Research Council—he presented a poster of a stadium in Lima, Peru filled to capacity. The 100,000 individuals pictured, Staver assured everyone, had congregated on behalf of Kim Davis as a sign of support. The crowd roared in approval, and Staver continued to pontificate with his usual fervor.
As it turns out, that photo did not depict a pro-Kim Davis rally. Rather, it was an image of a gathering that took place in May 2014 as a “Jesus Te Ama” rally for Christian Peruvians. Staver lied, misconstrued and denied the facts regarding the photo, and whether it was born of negligence or maliciousness is irrelevant. This man and the organization he commandeers operate in both a philanthropic and legal capacity. While a thirst for the sensational and a penchant for misrepresentation might be characteristic, it by no means makes them acceptable.
White lies are one thing, but intentional dishonesty for ideological gain does not sit well with me. I’ve written before about my disappointment with professions and practitioners who claim to govern themselves by a strict ethical standard. You can add Mat Staver and Liberty Counsel to the list of shortcomings those industries too consistently face. While the Values Voter Summit should never be confused with a courtroom, I don’t believe that anyone holding a J.D. should be able to lie so easily and comfortably in front of thousands. Even in a private capacity, serving as a jurist constitutes a profession that is about more than a salary. Staver’s work in the field of religious litigation should be a welcome addition to a legal subset that requires increased scrutiny and dialogue. Instead, his ideological zealotry and ethical ambiguity undermine anything he and Liberty Counsel bring to the table.
The irony of Staver’s blatant disregard for truth is his commitment to belaboring his own moral maxims and religious piety. He’s entitled to his beliefs and, perhaps just as importantly, his right to defend them. But the flimsy commitment to promoting an environment in which people “discover the truth that will give true freedom” are at the very least grounds for ridicule, if not more. Hypocrisy will always continue to fester, but there is something about being dishonest in the “quest for truth” that calls for a greater degree of scrutiny.
More importantly, the intention of this column is not to color the debate surrounding the ethical or legal outcomes of Kim Davis’ decision. The typically partisan nature of that discussion has been heard through and through, and while its coverage validates its importance, I’d argue that an equal measure of attention should be spent on the group arguing the cause. Liberty Counsel’s culpability shouldn’t be predicated on the legal and religious position it espouses but rather the irresponsible way it seeks to justify its argument.
Just because Mat Staver and Liberty Counsel’s behavior isn’t out of the ordinary doesn’t mean it should be overlooked. They’ve earned the majority of their criticism through their own bombast, but I’d urge people to pay equal attention to their professional errors. Sometimes they are lazy and sometimes they are blatant, but almost always, they reek. Recently Trevor Noah, The Daily Show’s new host, vowed to continue his predecessor’s “War on Bulls***.”
Mr. Noah, I think I can point you in the right direction.
Caleb Ellis is a Trinity senior. His column runs on alternate Tuesdays.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.