Racial Equality

Sen. Kennedy Violated Religious Freedom By Invoking Religious Test During DOJ Nominee’s Confirmation Hearing

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Americans United for Separation of Church and State President and CEO Rachel Laser issued the following statement in response to U.S. Sen. John Kennedy (R-La.) demanding to know during a Senate confirmation hearing whether Hampton Dellinger, Pres. Biden’s nominee to as assistant attorney general in the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Policy, believes in god:

“In a democracy that values the fundamental American principle of church-state separation, U.S. senators don’t get to ask a nominee for public office whether they believe in god during a Senate hearing. That’s a flat-out violation of our Constitution’s promise that there is no religious test for public office. It’s also grossly hypocritical to witness Sen. Kennedy, who claims to be a champion of religious freedom, so blatantly deny that freedom to others.”

Americans United is a religious freedom advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, AU educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom. Learn more at www.au.org.

Americans United is a religious freedom advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, AU educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.

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For Nex and all 2SLGBTQ+ students in Oklahoma

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We are calling for the Oklahoma Legislature to immediately remove Ryan Walters from his position as Oklahoma Superintendent and to begin an investigation into the Oklahoma Department of Education’s policies that have led to a the rampant harassment of 2SLGBTQ+ students.

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