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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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To: madison10

The way I remember it, Roberts was nominated as Chief Justice to simplify things. If he’d been sat as an Associate Justice, there would have been another procedure afterwards to select the Chief Justice. I certainly don’t rule out that there were intentions on Bush’s part to protect the interests of the globalists, etc.


81 posted on 11/27/2020 6:29:47 AM PST by Preachin' (I stand with many voters who will never vote for a pro abortion candidate.)
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To: splash73

“And for the 8 people on this site who actually know who Ruth Buzzi...”

LOL! Nine! *Raises Hand* :)


82 posted on 11/27/2020 6:37:57 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
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To: Kaslin; All

WINNING! Even IF we lose President Trump to Socialist Democrat FRAUD, he IS leaving behind quite a few obstacles for the Socialists to jump over as they drag us over the cliff of Communism!

I said earlier, that the best we could hope for with President Trump, and he HAS been impressive as h#ll, is for him to slow down our demise.

I’m in the camp that believes it’s too late because for to long, good men stood by and did NOTHING to stop the evil cancer that is Communism!

Also, I’m glad I’ll be dead before it’s all said and done.


83 posted on 11/27/2020 6:42:05 AM PST by Diana in Wisconsin (I don't have 'Hobbies.' I'm developing a robust post-Apocalyptic skill set. )
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To: Kaslin

Maybe it’s true that the grand master of the seminary Roberts attended kept a very complete and detailed record of all the young tail he scored for blackmail use when later on the boys grew into important positions. Hmmmmm...


84 posted on 11/27/2020 6:43:24 AM PST by Sir Bangaz Cracka (Slamming dat white cracka'a head into dat sidewalk causin he be scared)
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To: madison10

Why is he on the Supreme Court at all?


85 posted on 11/27/2020 6:44:54 AM PST by Leep (Save America. Lock down Joe Biden!)
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To: splash73

And Rachel Maddow


86 posted on 11/27/2020 6:59:41 AM PST by ecomcon
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To: Flavious_Maximus

“Sotomayor has diabetes and Breyer is 82.”
_______________________________________________

In addition to Trump uncovering the DC corruption, the Judiciary may be another reason for the desperate but fully coordinated attempt to steal the 2020 election and install Harris...?

A 6-3 SCOTUS (or 5-4 with traitor Roberts) is one thing, but a 7-3 or 8-2 SCOTUS with the possible chance for Trump to elevate TWO additional 50-something strict Conservatives to replace retiring Thomas and/or Alito (both in their 70s) would potentially cement Conservative control of the Judiciary for several decades...


87 posted on 11/27/2020 7:06:51 AM PST by MCEscherHammer
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To: JesusIsLord
- Proverbs 6:16-19:

There are six things that the Lord hates, seven that are an abomination to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that make haste to run to evil, a false witness who breathes out lies, and one who sows discord among brothers.

It seems that our government is entirely consumed with those things.

88 posted on 11/27/2020 7:08:23 AM PST by ecomcon
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To: ifinnegan

We probably would have gotten Roberts either way once there were two openings at once. Instead Bush was forced to go to his third choice and we got Alito. So instead of Bush crony Miers and John Roberts we got Sam Alito and John Roberts.


89 posted on 11/27/2020 11:50:47 AM PST by pepsi_junkie (Often wrong, but never in doubt!)
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To: MCEscherHammer

The next President is likely going to be replacing Breyer and Thomas. One lib, one conservative. With Biden we’ll get two libs and the court goes back to the left, especially with Roberts now firmly on team communism.


90 posted on 11/27/2020 11:52:49 AM PST by pepsi_junkie (Often wrong, but never in doubt!)
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To: ecomcon
It seems that our government is entirely consumed with those things.

Be encouraged and make an appeal to heaven that America's internal enemies be found out, prosecuted and put in prison. Continue to press heaven and your representatives - to bring the criminals involved in this election fraud to justice.

"Yet I have reserved seven thousand in Israel, all whose knees have not bowed to Baal, and every mouth that has not kissed him.” - 1st Kings 19:18

91 posted on 11/28/2020 6:08:01 AM PST by JesusIsLord
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