Ted Cruz made an appearance on a conservative activist conference call recently, during which he answered some questions about marriage equality and other LGBT issues posed by religious extremist Peter LaBarbera. You can just imagine how that went.
Evidence Suggests That Accused Planned Parenthood Gunman Is Indeed A "Christian Terrorist"
The Obama Administration Has Been Quietly Been Changing The Lives of Transgender Individuals For The Better
Alabama Taxpayers Now On The Hook For Legal Fees After Planned Parenthood Defunding Attempt
In more "Alabama Taxpayers Get The Shaft News"...
Linda Greenhouse Wins Headline of the Year
From AU's Senior Litigation Counsel Greg Lipper's Thanksgiving Day guest post on Bill of Health.
“Sex After 50 at the Supreme Court” is the title of today’s Turkey Day column by the peerless Linda Greenhouse. She takes a saucy look at upcoming Supreme Court cases on contraception and abortion and the role of religion in motivating restrictions on reproductive rights and health.
Terror At Planned Parenthood: Facing The Consequences Of The Far Right’s Lies
ICYMI – Senator Hatch Used Floor Time to Promote Harmful Religious Refusals
Last week, Senator Orrin Hatch (R-Utah) concluded his sixth speech in a series of floor speeches devoted to the topic of religious liberty. Senator Hatch’s speeches have covered everything from the history of religious freedom to threats to religious liberty abroad. Or at least, he has covered everything from his point of view of what religious liberty means.
Former Pastor Files Needless “Pastor Protection” Bill
On the first day lawmakers could file legislation in Virginia, Delegate Chris Head filed House Bill 19, a bill that would clarify that people authorized to perform marriage ceremonies may not be required to do so. Del. Head, a former pastor, explained that “[t]he purpose of this bill is simply to absolutely clarify that pastors of churches shouldn’t be compelled to perform a ceremony that violates the tenets of their religion; nothing more.”
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.
GOP Presidential Candidates Call For Disturbing Measures Against Muslims
Are Probate Judges In Alabama Preventing You From Marrying?
Oklahoma Supreme Court Expands Custodial Rights For Same-Sex Parents
Texas, Self-Induced Abortion, and an Ode to Justice Powell
From AU's Senior Litigation Counsel Greg Lipper's guest post on Bill of Health.
Kansas Legislative Committee Chairman Questions Allowing Foster Children To Go To Same-Sex Families
Indiana Republicans' "Anti-Discrimination" Bill Actually Discriminates Against LGBT Community
SCOTUS Asked To Take Up Same-Sex Adoption Case
Congress Presses Attorney General on OLC Memo
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.