Thursday, March 27, 2014

Justices ask tough questions on Hobby Lobby case

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            A Message from the Executive Director
Thursday, March 27, 2014
Dear Friends,

Immediately after Hobby Lobby's oral argument on Tuesday, Bill and I, as well as our team of lawyers, accompanied the Greens, the courageous owners of Hobby Lobby, down the steps of the Supreme Court.

 


As you can see, it was snowing but none of us were cold. During the 90-minute argument which had just concluded, the Justices had asked tough questions--most of them to the government. We were feeling encouraged. Besides, we could hear hundreds of supporters chanting: “Hobby Lobby! Hobby Lobby!”

By the next day, many major publications had sided against the government. The Wall Street Journal article read: “Five and maybe even six Justices across ideological lines seemed discomfited by the Administration's cramped conception of religious liberty.” The New York Times lead was: “In a long and lively argument that touched on medical science and moral philosophy, the Supreme Court on Tuesday seemed ready to accept that at least some for-profit corporations may advance claims based on religious freedom.” The Washington Post reported Justices were: “sympathetic...to the views of business owners​.” And the list goes on and on.

We were also inundated with press requests. Here are some of the TV clips. If you have a few minutes, please watch them.

 

There are many reasons the press turned against the government. One of them is that it realizes that the government's position is radical, illegal and unprecedented.

Unbelievably, during the argument, the government still insisted it can compel Americans--against their deeply held convictions--to obey government regulations such as the HHS mandate.

It also made the argument that once an individual steps into commerce, he/she loses his Constitutionally-guaranteed right to follow his own conscience. It is chilling. Please read this for yourself in the Court's transcript here.

We do not expect to hear the results until June. And, although we feel encouraged, we cannot predict how the Court will decide.

The times ahead are dangerous for all of us, and for all of our clients, including the Little Sisters of the Poor. They are next. And the government is ready.

But, so are we.

Many thanks for your continued support!
Sincerely,
kristina
Kristina Arriaga
Executive Director
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P.S.  For a lot more TV and radio clips including Mark's juicy debate with Sandra Fluke on NPR, please go to our webpage here.
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