One of the most notable accomplishments in Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall’s time in office has been his fierce protection of religious liberty.
Attorney General Marshall has had a hand in a number of historic religious liberty cases with national implications. Jack Phillips, owner of Masterpiece Cakeshop in Lakewood, CO, refused to make a custom cake for a same-sex wedding due to his Christian beliefs. A lawsuit ensued and the Colorado Civil Rights Commission ruled that Phillips had unlawfully discriminated against the same-sex customers, even though he’d offered to sell them any cake in the shop and referred them to other nearby bakers who could make the custom cake. Phillips took the case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court which reversed the lower court’s decision, citing “hostility” towards Phillips’ religion.
Attorney General Marshall praised the decision and was vocal in his support for Phillips’s 1st Amendment rights, along with 19 other states:
“This Supreme Court decision should send a strong message to activist courts and bureaucrats alike that Americans’ right to religious expression cannot be trampled and the Constitution cannot be ignored.”
In 2015, the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that North Carolina legislators were in violation of the First Amendment by their practice of having county commissioners begin their meetings with prayer. Attorney General Marshall joined an amicus brief with 21 other states urging the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case and uphold the constitutionality of legislator-led prayer:
“Lawmaker-led prayer is woven into the fabric of American society dating back to the founding of our Republic….Public prayer is both constitutional and a common practice throughout our country.”
Attorney General Marshall also lead a 13-state amicus brief to the U.S. Supreme Court in support of the City of Pensacola and its right to publicly display a historic cross in a downtown park. A group of individuals had previously sued the city claiming the cross was offensive.
“For 77 years, the cross has served as a backdrop for community events and memorial services honoring veterans. Given the history and significance of this beloved local landmark, it defies reason that Pensacolans should be forced to remove it because its presence is now perceived to conflict with the Constitution’s prohibition of the establishment of religion,” said Attorney General Marshall.
Through these examples and countless others, Attorney General Marshall has shown that he is willing to be a strong advocate for the protection of religious liberty. If elected to another term on November 6th, there is no doubt that this issue will continue to be at the forefront of his time in public office.
(Paid for by Steve Marshall for Alabama, P.O. Box 3537, Montgomery, AL 36109)
