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… by the director of the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights that a Christian ministry engaged in “wrongdoing” for … by the director of the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights that a Christian ministry engaged in “wrongdoing” for …

The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Legal Counsel David Hacker regarding the U.S. Supreme Court’s unanimous decision Thursday in Lane v. Franks, which affirmed that the First Amendment protects the speech of public employees outside the workplace on matters of public concern: “No one should be fired or suffer other kinds of retaliation for speech outside the workplace, especially when that person is testifying truthfully in court, as Mr. Lane was. We see all too often that public universities and colleges place political litmus tests on employees. But as ...

The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Legal Counsel Matt Bowman regarding a federal district court’s decision Monday in Austin LifeCare v. City of Austin to strike down an Austin, Texas, anti-pregnancy care law that forced pregnancy care centers to post messages that encourage women to go elsewhere: “Political allies of abortionists shouldn’t be allowed to use the law as a tool to attack pregnancy care centers, which offer real help and hope to women. As the district court found, Austin’s ordinance was so vague that it allowed the city dangerous latitude in ...

The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Austin R. Nimocks regarding the California Supreme Court’s decision Wednesday in Hollingsworth v. O’Connell to deny the petition to uphold the state’s voter-approved marriage amendment: “Elected officials should enforce the law. Though the current California officials are unwilling to enforce the state constitution, we remain hopeful that one day Californians will elect officials who will. It is unfortunate that the California Supreme Court chose not to decide the important, still-unresolved questions about the ...

The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Legal Counsel Matt Bowman regarding Wednesday’s federal court order in Trijicon v. Sebelius which temporarily blocks enforcement of the Obama administration’s abortion pill mandate against a Michigan-based family-run business and puts a hold on the case until another similar case is decided: “All Americans, including those who run family businesses, should be free to honor God and live according to their consciences whether they are at home, church, or the workplace. The court order in this case is consistent with what ...

The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Litigation Counsel Christiana Holcomb regarding the unsupported claim that the city of Houston is “backing off” or “narrowing” its subpoena request for the sermons and communications of pastors in Woodfill v. Parker: “The shame that the city of Houston has brought upon itself is real, but the claim that it has changed course is not. The city so far has taken no concrete action to withdraw the subpoenas. Furthermore, the subpoenas themselves are the problem – not just their request for pastors’ sermons. The city is not off the ...

The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Legal Counsel Greg Chafuen regarding the Arkansas House’s passage Thursday of the Religion Is Essential Act, a bill sponsored by Rep. Mary Bentley that ensures churches and other religious organizations are allowed to remain open during a state of emergency on the same terms as businesses and other secular services: “Houses of worship and religious organizations provide soul-sustaining operations that are essential to our society and protected by the First Amendment. While public officials have the authority and ...

The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Austin R. Nimocks regarding the decision of the U.S. Supreme Court Wednesday to strike down the federal Defense of Marriage Act in United States v. Windsor: “The Supreme Court got it wrong in saying that a state that has redefined marriage can force that definition on the federal government. The federal government should be able to define what marriage is for federal law just as states need to be able to define what marriage is for state law. Americans should be able to continue advancing the truth about ...

The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Legal Counsel Christiana Holcomb regarding the U.S. House of Representatives’ approval Thursday of tax legislation that includes language from the Free Speech Fairness Act, which, if signed into law, would prevent the Internal Revenue Service from investigating and penalizing churches simply for what a pastor says from the pulpit: “America’s pastors don’t need a federal tax agency to police their sermons, and so we commend those in the House who supported free speech fairness language in the amended tax bill. Churches and ...

The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Jonathan Scruggs regarding court orders that a Dane County Circuit Court issued Wednesday and on Aug. 11 in Amy Lynn Photography Studio v. City of Madison declaring that Amy Lawson and her business are not subject to city and state laws that would otherwise control her artistic freedom because she does not have a physical storefront: “The court’s judgment has vital implications for everyone in Wisconsin who values artistic freedom. The court found—and the city and state have now agreed—that creative ...