US civil rights commissioner takes Calif., DC to task over bills that violate religious freedom
Monday, Nov 17, 2014
The following quote may be attributed to Alliance Defending Freedom Senior Counsel Casey Mattox regarding letters U.S. Civil Rights Commissioner Peter Kirsanow sent Monday to the California Department of Managed Health Care and the District of Columbia City Council regarding their respective requirements (in effect in California and proposed in D.C.) that religious and pro-life employers pay for elective abortions as part of the insurance coverage they offer to employees:“No American should be forced by the government to pay for other peoples’ abortions. ADF commends Commissioner Kirsanow of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights for his letters to California and the District of Columbia urging them to reconsider government mandates that force even religious and pro-life organizations to cover elective abortions. Commissioner Kirsanow is right when he says that California and D.C. show ‘contempt’ and ‘disregard’ for religious freedom and conscience protections. We agree with the commissioner that these ‘absurd’ mandates are ‘directly at odds’ with federal law. D.C. and California should get themselves out of legal hot water and heed the words of Commissioner Kirsanow.”
- Op-ed: “D.C.’s hopelessly illegal abortion mandate” by Casey Mattox (Washington Times, 2014-11-17)
- Op-ed: “California’s abortion insurance mandate spotlights the Left’s 40-year devolution on conscience” by Casey Mattox (Townhall, 2014-09-07)
Alliance Defending Freedom is an alliance-building, non-profit legal organization that advocates for the right of people to freely live out their faith.
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