Posted on 11/26/2013 2:45:59 PM PST by NYer
Hobby Lobby’s battle against the HHS mandate is headed to the Supreme Court, as the high court today agreed to hear its lawsuit against the controversial provision in Obamacare. The Obama administration is attempting to make it comply with the HHS mandate that compels religious companies to pay for birth control and abortion-causing drugs for their employees.
However, the U.S. Supreme Court today agreed to take up Sebelius v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., a landmark case addressing the Constitutionally guaranteed rights of business owners to operate their family companies without violating their deeply held religious convictions. This is good news to the Green family, who own the store.
“This is a major step for the Greens and their family businesses in an important fight for Americans’ religious liberty,” said Kyle Duncan, general counsel of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty and lead lawyer for Hobby Lobby. “We are hopeful that the Supreme Court will clarify once and for all that religious freedom in our country should be protected for family business owners like the Greens.”
The Obama administration says it is confident it will prevail, saying, “We believe this requirement is lawful…and are confident the Supreme Court will agree.”
“My family and I are encouraged that the U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to decide our case,” said Mr. Green, Hobby Lobby’s founder and CEO. “This legal challenge has always remained about one thing and one thing only: the right of our family businesses to live out our sincere and deeply held religious convictions as guaranteed by the law and the Constitution. Business owners should not have to choose between violating their faith and violating the law.”
The Supreme Court is also taking the case of the Mennonite cabinet makers forced to pay for birth control and abortion-causing drugs.
In July, a federal court granted Hobby Lobby a preliminary injunction against the HHS abortion-drug mandate. The injunction prevented the Obama administration from enforcing the mandate against the Christian company, but the Obama administration appealed that ruling recently. The government’s appeal makes it highly likely that the Supreme Court will decide the issue in the upcoming term.
Hobby Lobby asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review its case and decide whether the Green family will be required to provide and pay for life-terminating drugs and devices in violation of their religious beliefs, according to an email from its attorneys to LifeNews.
“Hobby Lobby’s case raises important questions about who can enjoy religious freedom,” said Kyle Duncan, general counsel of the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty and lead lawyer for Hobby Lobby. “Right now, some courts recognize the rights of business owners like the Green family, and others do not. Religious freedom is too important to be left to chance. The Supreme Court should take this case and protect religious freedom for the Green family and Hobby Lobby.”
Duncan said last June the Christian-owned and operated business won a major victory before the en banc 10th Circuit Court of Appeals, which rejected the government’s argument that the Green family and their family-owned businesses, Hobby Lobby and a Christian bookstore chain named Mardel, could not legally exercise religion.
The court further said the businesses were likely to win their challenge to the HHS mandate. Since then, courts in other parts of the country have ruled differently, setting up a conflict that only the Supreme Court can resolve.
The Court will consider the government’s petition and Hobby Lobby’s response next month. If the petition is granted, the case would be argued and decided before the end of the Court’s term in June.
“The United States government is taking the remarkable position that private individuals lose their religious freedom when they make a living,” said Duncan. “We’re confident that the Supreme Court will reject the government’s extreme position and hold that religious liberty is for everyone—including people who run a business.”
After the appeals court ruling, U.S. District Judge Joe Heaton issued a preliminary injunction and stayed the case until Oct. 1 to give the Obama administration time to appeal the decision.
In an opinion read from the bench, the court said, “There is a substantial public interest in ensuring that no individual or corporation has their legs cut out from under them while these difficult issues are resolved.”
Duncan says there are now 63 separate lawsuits challenging the HHS mandate. The Becket Fund led the charge against the unconstitutional HHS mandate. The Becket Fund currently represents: Hobby Lobby, Wheaton College, East Texas Baptist University, Houston Baptist University, Colorado Christian University, the Eternal Word Television Network, Ave Maria University, and Belmont Abbey College.
Hobby Lobby could have paid as much as $1.3 million each day in fines for refusing to pay for birth control or abortion-causing drugs under the mandate.
Polling data from December 2012 shows Americans support a religious exemption to the mandate.
Your thoughts, ping!
Go, Hobby Lobby!
Prayers up for them!
Roberts if 100% pure filth. He feels stung by the criticism of his o-care decision. He needs to be worshipped because he is the most degenerate cs’er piece of human filth who ever lived. Therefore, he will do the “right” thing this time... and it will fool a lot of people.
I do think we all must realize the right thing will not be done! Bet on it, 0care must prevail at all costs.
If the SCOTUS turns Left on this decision, it’s a groin shot for religious freedoms.
"Does Obamacare have a severability clause for this . . ."My understanding is that it does not.
What makes you think Obama would comply even if the appeal is upheld. Have we not seen Obama simply ignore court decisions in the past? My guess is,either way, Obama goes forward trying to force these businesses to comply.
I think the dems have info on Roberts that he cannot have exposed. Some say it’s his adoptions. Others say more radical things. Unfortunately, I think he’s been compromised, and is,most likely unwillingly, under the control of people who would like nothing better than to ruin him. Ergo,,,, he cannot be trusted!
I think US supremes may have go against Obama admiasntion on this you hear of First amednanat Barry
I hear about adoptions who give rat a** Grow a pair Chief Justice
If Ubama wins, we are going over that cliff, never to return.
My question as well. What happens to the law in the best case?
My thoughts, so long as Chief Justice Roberts sits on the Court, it will be full steam ahead for ObamaCare.
He has the goods on him and he will cave again.
If they do have something on Roberts [i don’t think that’s what’s happened - if anything it was a threat to his loved ones] then could it be worse that what Roberts is going thru with his tortured and changed decision in the first place?
He’s gonna burn whether he makes Hobby Lobby et al decision 0bama’s way or the law’s way. Why not do the right thing?
History will shame him if he allows himself to be sold and 0bama will have him if he rules per the law.
ATF classifies pitchforks as “assault weapons”
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