Kentucky law requires legislators, civil servants, judges, and lawyers to take an oath stating they will not engage in a duel with deadly weapons. The clause has been in place since 1849, but a bill to remove it in 2010 failed to gain support. The dueling reference was added in the 1800s due to too many residents killing each other.
In July 2017, during the Republican effort to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act, U.S. Representative Blake Farenthold (R-TX) made headlines by suggesting that South Texas would settle their disputes with Republican senators who voted against the bill with a duel. However, if Farenthold had held the position in Kentucky, by law, he would not have had that option. In Kentucky, all legislators, civil servants, judges and lawyers are required to take an oath stating that they have not and will not engage in “a duel with deadly weapons.” In 2010, a Kentucky lawmaker introduced a bill to remove the antiquated clause, a tradition since 1849, but there was little support.
When bullets settled debates:
Kentucky State Rep. Darryl Owens (D-Lousiville) pushed for the change because, he said, it “perpetuates that image of Kentucky as backward.” The bill was never discussed or voted on and eventually expired.
Kentucky historian Jim Klotter says the dueling reference was added in the 1800s because too many residents were killing each other. Kentuckian Henry Clay, who served in Congress and ran for president in 1824, participated in two duels.
In 1804, Aaron Burr is known to have shot and killed his political opponent, Alexander Hamilton, in a duel in New Jersey.
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