More on the New York Wedding-Venue Discrimination Case

Yesterday I wrote about a New York case in which a commercial wedding venue claims that it has a constitutional right to discriminate against same-sex couples, in violation of New York state law, when renting out its facility. New York Law Journal now has a report on the oral argument.

Lawyers for the wedding venue argued that merely by renting the facility for a same-sex couple to use for its wedding—on the same terms that the venue rents to other tenants—the venue's owners are being forced to "endorse a viewpoint with which they disagree" in violation of the First Amendment.

NCAA, NFL, and Business Groups Use Financial Power to Protect Their Neighbors

In early 2014, we saw the power a major sports franchise can have to stop bad “religious freedom” bills when conservative Arizona Governor Jan Brewer vetoed a broad state Religious Freedom Restoration Act (RFRA). After the bill passed the legislature and before Gov. Brewer’s veto, the National Football League (NFL) issued a statement implying that, if this bill should pass, they may not choose to host the Super Bowl in the state as planned.

Religious Refusal of the Day: New York Wedding Venue Discriminates Against Same-Sex Couple

One of the more farfetched attempts to use religion to discriminate is on display in a case working its way through the New York courts. The owners of a commercial wedding venue refused to rent their venue to a same-sex couple who wanted to use it for their wedding. Unsurprisingly, the New York Division of Human Rights concluded that the wedding venue's refusal to rent to the couple violated the state's antidiscrimination law.

Skim-Milk Marriage Licenses, Kim Davis Edition

The Kim Davis saga continues. After she was released from jail (after being held in contempt for blocking the Rowan County Clerk's office from issuing marriage licenses) she confiscated all of the standard licenses, and replaced them with marriage licenses that no longer mention of Rowan County or the Rowan County Clerk or Deputy Clerks, and which makes it clear that the licenses are being issued in response to a court order. By using this adulterated form, Davis is announcing to couples that the government is letting them get married only under protest, and she is possibly jeopardizing the legal legitimacy of the marriages at issue.

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Are Probate Judges In Alabama Preventing You From Marrying?

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Though marriage equality is the law of the land, there are several counties in Alabama that are still trying to resist the Supreme Court's decision. Rather than issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, probate judges in 8 Alabama counties are refusing to issue marriage licenses to anyone.

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Oklahoma Supreme Court Expands Custodial Rights For Same-Sex Parents

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A step forward in Oklahoma.

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Indiana Republicans' "Anti-Discrimination" Bill Actually Discriminates Against LGBT Community

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Indiana Republicans have constructed a Trojan Horse of a bill: sneaking discriminatory language into legislation they claim will protect the LGBT community.

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SCOTUS Asked To Take Up Same-Sex Adoption Case

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The lawyers of a Alabama same-sex couple are looking to bring their case before the Supreme Court.

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Congress Presses Attorney General on OLC Memo

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Earlier today, the House Committee on the Judiciary held an oversight hearing, questioning U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch about the activities of the Department of Justice. During the hearing, Lynch occupied the hot seat while members of the committee peppered her with questions on everything from homeland security to voting rights.

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American Muslims Face Threats, Gunfire After Paris Attack

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The reverberation from ISIS' horrific attacks on Paris this Friday are being heard around the world. While most of the reactions have been an outpouring of love and support for the victims, their families, and the whole of France, Muslims have already felt the brunt of the Islamophobic backlash.

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Give Us Your Huddled Masses (If They’re Christians): GOP Hopefuls Call For Rejecting Muslims Refugees Fleeing ISIS

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The U.S. government should refuse to resettle Syrian Muslims, two presidential candidates announced this weekend. Reacting to Friday’s devastating Paris attacks, U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush (R) both advised the government to agree to resettle only Syrian Christians.