We don't really need Mike Pence whispering in Trump's ear to establish "Christian" supremacy in the good ol' USA -- we have Jefferson Beauregard Sessions III to take care of that. From the DOJ:
The October guidance seems quite reasonable, for the most part, until you remember who issued it and what court decisions he's using as authority. (Hobby Lobby? Because according to Citizens United, corporations are people.)
I sincerely hope that no one thinks this guidance is going to apply to Muslims, or Buddhists, or Hindus, or Pagans. Given the rate at which Trump and McConnell are stacking the courts with incompetent theocrats, that's certainly a pipe dream.
The reaction is, so far, fairly mild:
I'm reminded that both Mussolini and Hitler had the churches on board. Come to think of it, so does Putin.
Wait until the Satanic Temple sues.
The Department of Justice today announced the update of the United States Attorneys’ Manual (USAM) with a new section titled, “Associate Attorney General’s Approval and Notice Requirements for Issues Implicating Religious Liberty.”
On Oct. 6, 2017, the Attorney General issued a Memorandum for All Executive Departments and Agencies entitled Federal Law Protections for Religious Liberty. The memo directed components and United States Attorney’s Offices to use the guidance in litigation, advice to the Executive Branch, operations, grants, and all other aspects of the Department’s work.
In order to ensure compliance with the Attorney General’s memo, the USAM will be updated with language that directs relevant Department of Justice components to:
The updated USAM will also instruct relevant Justice Department components to consult the 20 religious liberty principles laid out in the AttoOcrney General’s October 6 memo when considering whether the notice or approval requirements are initiated.
- Immediately inform the Office of the Associate Attorney General upon receiving service of a suit filed against the United States raising any significant question concerning religious liberty;
- Coordinate decisions about merits arguments and significant litigation strategy questions in religious liberty cases with the Office of the Associate Attorney General; and
- Obtain the approval of the Office of the Associate Attorney General with respect to any affirmative civil suit that impinges on rights under the Free Exercise Clause, Establishment Clause, or Religious Freedom Restoration Act.
The October guidance seems quite reasonable, for the most part, until you remember who issued it and what court decisions he's using as authority. (Hobby Lobby? Because according to Citizens United, corporations are people.)
I sincerely hope that no one thinks this guidance is going to apply to Muslims, or Buddhists, or Hindus, or Pagans. Given the rate at which Trump and McConnell are stacking the courts with incompetent theocrats, that's certainly a pipe dream.
The reaction is, so far, fairly mild:
The head of Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law weighed in, calling today's move "astonishing."
This is astonishing. Most US Attorneys' Offices don't even have a civil rights point of contact. This newly created "religious liberty" position is wholesale politicization of DOJ's work. https://t.co/XBw1J723pB
— Kristen Clarke (@KristenClarkeJD) January 31, 2018
I'm reminded that both Mussolini and Hitler had the churches on board. Come to think of it, so does Putin.
Wait until the Satanic Temple sues.
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