Neely’s attorneys also express concern that under the Commission’s insistence, any judge in Wyoming who shares Neely’s beliefs about marriage may be removed from his or her position.

“This case threatens any judge who holds and communicates views about numerous potentially controversial topics,” the attorneys write.

Ana Cuprill, the Wyoming Democratic Party chairwoman who originally informed the Commission of Neely’s statements in the newspaper article, said she agrees with the Commission’s recommendation.

“My concern in passing on that information was that I felt that any judgment that Judge Neely would have in the future might be challenged if there was some sort of an issue with someone who is LGBT and felt prejudiced and that would be a liability in our town,” Cuprill said.

She said she forwarded the newspaper article out of her concern for the community of Pinedale.

“I was concerned when she said she was not going to follow the law,” Cuprill said.

Neely has been a municipal judge in Pinedale for over 21 years and has performed marriages as a magistrate for over a decade.