Tag Archives: religious liberty

Tony Perkins: I Remain Confident Trump Will Issue An Anti-LGBT Executive Order On “Religious Liberty”

CNBC reports: A prominent conservative Christian leader on Tuesday expressed confidence that President Donald Trump will still take executive action to uphold “religious liberty” despite a White House statement that the president will uphold existing protections against “anti-LGBTQ workplace discrimination” by federal contractors. “I think this is going to be addressed,” said Tony Perkins, president of the Family Research Council. …

Read More »

REPORT: Scalia Clone Neil Gorsuch Emerges As Leading SCOTUS Contender, Nomination Likely Next Week

ABC News reports: ABC News has learned that Judge Neil Gorsuch has emerged as the leading contender to fill the Supreme Court vacancy, and his nomination is expected as early as next week, according to sources familiar with the selection process. Gorsuch, 49, is currently a judge on the 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, to which he was nominated by …

Read More »

Pew Research Survey: 51% Support Trans Bathroom Rights, 49% Support LGBT Public Accommodation Laws

Bustle reports: In case you needed a reminder that the Supreme Court’s ruling on same-sex marriage didn’t fix all the problems facing the LGBTQ community, a recent survey by the Pew Research Center has found that just half of Americans support transgender bathroom access according to gender identity, rather than biological sex. The finding comes as part of more general …

Read More »

BREAKING: Missouri House Panel Rejects Anti-LGBT “License To Discriminate” Bill In Split 6-6 Vote

Via press release from PROMO Missouri: In a 6-6 vote this afternoon, the majority of the Emerging Issues Committee voted against SJR 39. The committee members that voted against SJR 39 are Rep. Jeremy LaFaver, Rep. Mike Colona, Rep. Jim Hansen, Rep. Sharon Pace, Rep. Caleb Rowden, and Rep. Anne Zerr. SJR 39 has had national attention in light of …

Read More »

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal: I’ve Seen The Backlash And I’ll Veto Anti-LGBT Bills Again If Haters Try Again

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Gov. Nathan Deal said the uproar in North Carolina and Mississippi over new laws that critics say curb gay rights should give supporters of the “religious liberty” measure in Georgia second thoughts, and warned that he’s willing to pull out the veto pen again next year if similar legislation lands on his desk. In his first …

Read More »

MISSOURI: Proposed Anti-LGBT “Religious Liberty” Bill Stalls In Face Of Fierce Corporate Opposition

But it’s not dead yet. The Kansas City Star reports: Late into the night Tuesday, supporters and opponents of a proposed “religious freedom” amendment sparred over its potential impact.  On one side, religious leaders and Republican elected officials implored the House Emerging Issues Committee to approve the amendment as is and place it on the ballot for Missouri voters to …

Read More »

MISSOURI: Major Corporations Form Coalition In Opposition To Pending Anti-LGBT “Religious Liberty” Bill

The Kansas City Star reports: Businesses from around Missouri announced the formation a coalition Tuesday designed to stop a “religious freedom” amendment to the state’s constitution currently making its way through the Missouri Legislature. Members of the coalition, called Missouri Competes, have agreed to sign a pledge stating that the proposed amendment “does not represent our values as Missourians, and …

Read More »

BREAKING: PayPal Cancels New Charlotte Operations Center Over North Carolina’s Anti-LGBT Hate Law

Freedom For All Americans reports: This morning, April 5, Paypal, a global company dedicated to facilitating online payments, announced that it is withdrawing plans to open a new global operations center in Charlotte. The reason for their plans to withdraw? North Carolina’s House Bill 2, which was ramrodded through the North Carolina General Assembly on March 23, with just 12 …

Read More »

MISSISSIPPI: House Democrats Use Procedural Ploy To Delay Hate Bill’s Arrival On Desk Of Gov. Phil Bryant

This morning the Mississippi House voted overwhelmingly to send the state’s hate bill to the desk of Gov. Phil Bryant. But this afternoon Democrats filed a motion to reconsider, which is essentially a procedural delaying tactic meant to buy time in order to build pressure for a veto. Dominic Holden has more at Buzzfeed: Bryant did not immediately respond to …

Read More »

VIRGINIA: Democratic Governor Terry McAuliffe Vetoes “Stigmatizing” Anti-LGBT “Religious Freedom” Bill

BOOM. The Washington Blade reports: Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe on Wednesday vetoed a religious freedom bill that critics said would have allowed anti-LGBT discrimination. McAuliffe said in a statement that Senate Bill 41 is “nothing more than an attempt to stigmatize.” “This legislation is also bad for business and creates roadblocks as we try to build the new Virginia economy,” …

Read More »

BREAKING: Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal Announces VETO Of Anti-LGBT So-Called “Religious Liberty” Bill

Moments ago Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal declared that he will veto his state’s anti-LGBT so-called “religious liberty” bill. Among his reasons are that Georgia does not protect its LGBT citizens from discrimination in the first place, so further legislation is not necessary. UPDATE: Lambda Legal reacts. Today we feel very fortunate that LGBT people and people with living with HIV …

Read More »

BREAKING: Every North Carolina Senate Democrat Walks Out As GOP Senators Legalize Anti-LGBT Discrimination In 31-0 Vote, Bill Goes To Governor

Every North Carolina Senate Democrat just walked out of the chamber rather than vote on the bill which legalizes anti-LGBT discrimination. The remaining GOP Senators then approved the bill 31-0. Having passed the state House earlier by a more than 3-1 margin, the bill now goes to the desk of GOP Gov. Pat McCrory, who will surely sign it. UPDATE: …

Read More »

GEORGIA: Anti-LGBT RFRA Bill Goes To Governor

From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: The Georgia Legislature over the course of a few hours Wednesday unveiled changes to a controversial “religious liberty” bill and gave it final passage, setting off a collision course with corporate leaders and gay rights advocates over charges that it would legalize discrimination in Georgia. House Bill 757 now goes to Gov. Nathan Deal for his …

Read More »

MISSOURI: Anti-LGBT Bill Advances To House

Late yesterday afternoon the Missouri Senate advanced GOP Sen. Bob Onder’s anti-LGBT bill to the state House. The Human Rights Campaign reacts: Similar to so-called “First Amendment Defense Act” legislation introduced in other states, this extreme resolution would lead to a ballot measure that, if approved by voters, would enshrine discrimination against LGBT people and their families into the state …

Read More »

GEORGIA: Gov. Nathan Deal Denounces Anti-LGBT “Religious Liberty” Bill By Citing The Bible

Feeling the heat from major local corporations, Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal today denounced the pending anti-LGBT “religious liberty” bill by citing scripture. From the Atlanta Journal-Constitution: Standing in the lobby of a government building after a ribbon-cutting ceremony, he laid out a lengthy condemnation of the measure from a Biblical perspective, first noting that he is a Southern Baptist who …

Read More »

LIVE VIDEO: Georgia Senate Debates Bill To Legalize Anti-LGBT Discrimination Because Religious Liberty

From Know Thy Neighbor: This morning, the Georgia Senate will debate HB 757, a hybrid of the House Pastor Protection Act and the Georgia First Amendment Defense Act (FADA). The new bill is pretty terrible. In short, it allows any individual or “faith-based” business, non-profit entity, or taxpayer-funded organization to ignore any law that conflicts with their religious beliefs about …

Read More »

When Christie Compared Kim Davis To ISIS [VIDEO]

Late in last night’s droning GOP debate, Chris Christie pivoted to ISIS when asked about Kim Davis and religious liberty. That got a lot of folks’ attention. Via Daily Kos: Finally, Republicans are getting it! During last night’s debate, Chris Christie inadvertently explained how the Kim Davises of the world resemble radical Islamic jihadists: “what they want to do is …

Read More »

Huckabee: Obama Lied To Pope Francis About Religious Liberty Because Look At Kim Davis [VIDEO]

Shortly after President Obama told Pope Francis that the United States cherishes religious liberty, Mike Huckabee posted the above tweet with an attached Vine video which juxtaposes Obama’s words over the mugshot of Kim Davis. In other news, Huckabee knows what Vine is.

Read More »

ABC/WaPo Poll: Kim Davis Controversy Is Eroding Support For So-Called Religious Liberty

According to an ABC/Washington Post poll issued today, nearly three-quarters of Americans believe that “equality under the law” should supersede personal religious beliefs. About two-thirds of the poll’s respondents also say that Kim Davis should be required to issue licenses. Politico notes how these latest number conflict with a poll taken shortly after the Obergefell ruling: In that poll, 49 …

Read More »

Signorile: A Loss For Kim Davis Is A Win For The GOP

Michelangelo Signorile believes that while Kentucky county clerk Kim Davis will surely lose her battle, that loss will be a win for the GOP’s “religious liberty” crazies. He writes: If the Supreme Court denies Kim Davis’s stay the ball is back in a federal judge’s court. Because she is an elected official, only the legislature can remove her in an …

Read More »