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SCOTUS Ruling on Religious Services During COVID Lockdowns Removes Obstacle Named Chief Justice Roberts
Townhall.com ^ | November 26, 2020 | Matt Vespa

Posted on 11/26/2020 2:42:24 PM PST by Kaslin

Alas, we have a victory for religious freedom in the COVID lockdown era. The Supreme Court recently ruled that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo illegally targeted churches in his COVID lockdown order—and Justice Amy Coney Barrett was the deciding vote. In the 5-4 decision, the Court ruled Cuomo’s edict violated First Amendment rights (via NYT):

The Supreme Court late Wednesday night barred restrictions on religious services in New York that Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo had imposed to combat the coronavirus.

The vote was 5 to 4, with Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and the court’s three liberal members in dissent. The order was the first in which the court’s newest member, Justice Amy Coney Barrett, played a decisive role.

[…]

In an unsigned opinion, the majority said Mr. Cuomo’s restrictions violated the First Amendment’s protection of the free exercise of religion.

In a concurring opinion, Justice Neil M. Gorsuch said Mr. Cuomo had treated secular activities more favorably than religious ones.

“It is time — past time — to make plain that, while the pandemic poses many grave challenges, there is no world in which the Constitution tolerates color-coded executive edicts that reopen liquor stores and bike shops but shutter churches, synagogues, and mosques,” Justice Gorsuch wrote.

The court’s order addressed two applications: one filed by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, the other by two synagogues, an Orthodox Jewish organization and two individuals. The applications both said Mr. Cuomo’s restrictions violated constitutional protections for the free exercise of religion, and the one from the synagogues added that Mr. Cuomo had “singled out a particular religion for blame and retribution for an uptick in a societywide pandemic.”

The Supreme Court late Wednesday night barred restrictions on religious services in New York that Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo had imposed to combat the coronavirus.

The vote was 5 to 4, with Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and the court’s three liberal members in dissent. The order was the first in which the court’s newest member, Justice Amy Coney Barrett, played a decisive role.

[…]

In an unsigned opinion, the majority said Mr. Cuomo’s restrictions violated the First Amendment’s protection of the free exercise of religion.

In a concurring opinion, Justice Neil M. Gorsuch said Mr. Cuomo had treated secular activities more favorably than religious ones.

“It is time — past time — to make plain that, while the pandemic poses many grave challenges, there is no world in which the Constitution tolerates color-coded executive edicts that reopen liquor stores and bike shops but shutter churches, synagogues, and mosques,” Justice Gorsuch wrote.

The court’s order addressed two applications: one filed by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn, the other by two synagogues, an Orthodox Jewish organization and two individuals. The applications both said Mr. Cuomo’s restrictions violated constitutional protections for the free exercise of religion, and the one from the synagogues added that Mr. Cuomo had “singled out a particular religion for blame and retribution for an uptick in a societywide pandemic.”


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; News/Current Events; US: New York
KEYWORDS: amyconeybarrett; andrewcuomo; antichristian; antisemitism; cheapjokestice; church; coronavirus; cuomo; johnroberts; judiciary; newyork; politicaljudiciary; relfreedom; religiousjudiciary; ruckfoberts; scotus; supremecourt
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1 posted on 11/26/2020 2:42:24 PM PST by Kaslin
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To: Kaslin

Why is Roberts the chief justice?


2 posted on 11/26/2020 2:44:17 PM PST by madison10
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To: Kaslin

We all owe Ruth Buzzy a debt of gratitude for croaking when she did.


3 posted on 11/26/2020 2:45:45 PM PST by E. Pluribus Unum (You are in far more danger from an authoritarian government than you are from a seasonal virus.)
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To: Kaslin

An outline of the kind of case that Sydney Powell and the Trump team need to bring up?


4 posted on 11/26/2020 2:46:32 PM PST by Samurai_Jack (Democrats are not the enemy, Republicans are not your friends. We're on our own folks!)
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To: Kaslin

They must have pictures of him with his pants down around his knees


5 posted on 11/26/2020 2:46:40 PM PST by JonPreston ( )
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To: Kaslin
Needs and editor. Try this:

he vote was 5 to 4, with Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and the court’s three other liberal members in dissent.

6 posted on 11/26/2020 2:47:20 PM PST by PAR35
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To: madison10

Excellent question seeing he was given the position upon confirmation, and his age.
Could it be cause Bush knew what lies beneath Roberts skin? Cause He knew the real Roberts?


7 posted on 11/26/2020 2:47:58 PM PST by bantam
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To: madison10

President Bush appointed him Chief justice to replace Rehnquist.


8 posted on 11/26/2020 2:49:13 PM PST by OVERTIME (Tammie Lee Haynes)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Thank God she held on hoping to be replaced by “President Hillary.” If the old buzzard had retired during the Obama administration, we’d have no hope.


9 posted on 11/26/2020 2:49:18 PM PST by EvilCapitalist (We must FIGHT, I repeat it sir, we must FIGHT! -Patrick Henry)
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To: Samurai_Jack

Relief sought is the elimination of the mail ballots from counting in the 2020 election. Alternatively, the Presidential electors for the state of Georgia should be disqualified from counting toward the 2020 election.


10 posted on 11/26/2020 2:50:28 PM PST by Samurai_Jack (Democrats are not the enemy, Republicans are not your friends. We're on our own folks!)
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To: Kaslin

The days of the constitution meaning whatever John Roberts feels like it means are thankfully, over.


11 posted on 11/26/2020 2:52:34 PM PST by FLT-bird
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To: Kaslin


12 posted on 11/26/2020 2:52:44 PM PST by Fiddlstix (Warning! This Is A Subliminal Tagline! Read it at your own risk!(Presented by TagLines R US))
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To: madison10
Why is Roberts the chief justice?

Because in the middle of Roberts' confirmation hearings to replace Sandra Day O'Conner Chief Justice Rhenquist died and W Bush couldn't stand the idea of elevating Thomas or Scalia and he realized that Roberts was beloved of the dems (red flag!) so he nominated him to become Chief Justice before he ever served a day on the court. Of course he breezed right on through without a bit of controversy (red flag!) and has been doing the lefts work pro-bono on the down low ever since.

13 posted on 11/26/2020 2:53:02 PM PST by pepsi_junkie (Often wrong, but never in doubt!)
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To: JonPreston

On Epstein Island.


14 posted on 11/26/2020 2:54:43 PM PST by Mr. Mojo (No honest elections, no peace)
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

Yep, with ACB in the mix, this is the first of hopefully many 5-4 decisions that will finally go conservatives’ way. That is, until Biden expands the court to 87 justices.

And for the 8 people on this site who actually know who Ruth Buzzi is, she does bear a slight resemblance to RBG:

https://imagez.tmz.com/image/19/4by3/2010/03/26/190157e43ff1584885497dee232c9ef7_md.jpg


15 posted on 11/26/2020 2:56:40 PM PST by splash73
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To: JonPreston

There is rumor he flew on Epstein’s Lolita Express.


16 posted on 11/26/2020 2:56:51 PM PST by tired&retired (Blessings )
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To: E. Pluribus Unum

With a second Trump term, Roberts might become completely irrelevant, huddled over in the corner with the Wise Latina and whatshername.


17 posted on 11/26/2020 2:59:26 PM PST by GnuThere
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To: Kaslin

The Dems must have video of Roberts with little girls (boys?) in the V.I.P. room on the Epstein Express.


18 posted on 11/26/2020 3:02:42 PM PST by jonrick46 (Cultural Marxism is the cult of the Left waiting for the Mothership.)
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To: pepsi_junkie

There was another before Roberts who was not confirmed.


19 posted on 11/26/2020 3:04:30 PM PST by equaviator (If it seems like it's too bad to be true then maybe it isn't.)
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To: tired&retired

...with guys, not girls!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


20 posted on 11/26/2020 3:05:55 PM PST by Stayfree (Liberalism is an incurable mental disease caused by stupidity and ignorance!)
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