A federal judge today blocked the mayor of Louisville, Ky., from enforcing his ban on drive-in church services on Easter, calling it unconstitutional. Mayor Greg Fischer had threatened to track license plates and fine anyone who attends a public ceremony.
“An American mayor criminalized the communal celebration of Easter,” U.S. District Judge Justin Walker wrote while issuing a temporary restraining order. “That sentence is one that this Court never expected to see outside the pages of a dystopian novel, or perhaps the pages of The Onion.
”The Mayor’s decision is stunning. And it is, ‘beyond all reason,’ unconstitutional,” the judge added.
And, according to Just the News, the Justice Department signaled tonight that it may intervene against local governments that are cracking down on religious ceremonies during the pandemic, warning that action could come as early as next week.
A Justice Department spokeswoman, Kerri Kupec, tweeted on the eve of Easter to announce that Attorney General William Barr is monitoring efforts to stop Easter religious ceremonies.
“During this sacred week for many Americans, AG Barr is monitoring govt regulation of religious services,” Kupec tweeted. “While social distancing policies are appropriate during this emergency, they must be applied evenhandedly & not single out religious orgs. Expect action from DOJ next week!”
The statement comes as numerous municipalities across the country have been reportedly taking actions to stop churchgoers from celebrating Easter together.
Though state justices in Kansas today upheld Gov. Laura Kelly's ban on church gatherings of more than 10 worshipers, the federal Justice Department could intervene under the 14th Amendment, which forbids any state from suppressing "unalienable rights," such as freedom of speech, worship and assembly.
A group of Republican lawmakers had challenged the Democrat governor's edict.
The New York metropolitan region's Covid outbreak was fanned when a single infected man attended a packed synagogue service in New Rochelle. But that was not a drive-in service.
Most information for this post comes from Just the News
https://justthenews.com/government/courts-law/doj-signals-possible-intervention-pandemic-crackdowns-religious-ceremonies-m
“An American mayor criminalized the communal celebration of Easter,” U.S. District Judge Justin Walker wrote while issuing a temporary restraining order. “That sentence is one that this Court never expected to see outside the pages of a dystopian novel, or perhaps the pages of The Onion.
”The Mayor’s decision is stunning. And it is, ‘beyond all reason,’ unconstitutional,” the judge added.
And, according to Just the News, the Justice Department signaled tonight that it may intervene against local governments that are cracking down on religious ceremonies during the pandemic, warning that action could come as early as next week.
A Justice Department spokeswoman, Kerri Kupec, tweeted on the eve of Easter to announce that Attorney General William Barr is monitoring efforts to stop Easter religious ceremonies.
“During this sacred week for many Americans, AG Barr is monitoring govt regulation of religious services,” Kupec tweeted. “While social distancing policies are appropriate during this emergency, they must be applied evenhandedly & not single out religious orgs. Expect action from DOJ next week!”
The statement comes as numerous municipalities across the country have been reportedly taking actions to stop churchgoers from celebrating Easter together.
Though state justices in Kansas today upheld Gov. Laura Kelly's ban on church gatherings of more than 10 worshipers, the federal Justice Department could intervene under the 14th Amendment, which forbids any state from suppressing "unalienable rights," such as freedom of speech, worship and assembly.
A group of Republican lawmakers had challenged the Democrat governor's edict.
The New York metropolitan region's Covid outbreak was fanned when a single infected man attended a packed synagogue service in New Rochelle. But that was not a drive-in service.
Most information for this post comes from Just the News
https://justthenews.com/government/courts-law/doj-signals-possible-intervention-pandemic-crackdowns-religious-ceremonies-m
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