‘No place in our society’: Trump DOJ sues state for targeting Christian practices
Assuring members of the Christian faith that laws that specifically target religious practices “have no place in our society,” federal officials have sued the state of Washington over its attack on religion.
The state has adopted a new law requiring Catholic priests, as well as other ministers, to tattle to police should they hear of a possible offense during a confession, which before now had been exempt from mandatory reporting.
“Laws that explicitly target religious practices such as the Sacrament of Confession have no place in our society,” explained Harmeet Dhillon, assistant attorney general.
The DOJ filed a complaint in federal court in Washington arguing that the state’s new law violates the First and 14th Amendments by compelling clergy to report what they learn in confession or face criminal penalties.
The Washington Examiner said, “Confession is one of the sacraments of the Catholic Church. Disclosing any information a parishioner shares during these sessions is grounds for the excommunication of a priest from the Catholic Church. However, if a priest fails to report suspected abuse, even if they learn of it during confession, they could face almost a year in jail and a $5,000 fine.”
Constitutional expert Jonathan Turley, who has not only testified before Congress on constitutional disputes, but represented members in court in those fights, pointed out the state’s decision to alter the confessional requirements of the church.
“The Democrats have added to the four stages of the confession. Examination, confession, absolution, and penance may now be followed by incarceration,” he explained.
The state’s attempt is a direct attack on the church, the DOJ said.
“SB 5375 unconstitutionally forces Catholic priests in Washington to choose between their obligations to the Catholic Church and their penitents or face criminal consequences,” Dhillon said.
“The Justice Department will not sit idly by when states mount attacks on the free exercise of religion.”
Gov. Bob Ferguson has pledged to enforce the violation of the rights of clergy members.
They would be required to report to police any “reasonable cause to believe that a child has suffered abuse or neglect.”
Most states exempt clergy when information is obtained during a religious confession.
Democrats in Washington refused.
The DOJ now contends that violates religious canon law, which strictly forbids breaching the seal of confession under penalty of excommunication.
The DOJ said part of the problem was that the law deliberately interferes with the religious requirements.
A lawsuit over the law had been filed just day earlier by lawyers for multiple Orthodox churches.
The DOJ first began investigating the law last month, warning that it “appears on its face to violate the First Amendment.”
The churches’ lawyer said, “The First Amendment guarantees that governments cannot single out religious believers for worse treatment. Washington is targeting priests by compelling them to break the sacred confidentiality of confession while protecting other confidential communications, like those between attorneys and their clients. That’s rank religious discrimination. We are urging the court to swiftly restore this constitutionally protected freedom of churches and priests in Washington state.”
WND previously reported when Democrats in Washington state “declared open war on Christianity, and the Catholic Church has responded with a volley that includes its commitment to defy a new law.”
Turley noted the law is “blatantly unconstitutional.”