Biden’s Bad Choice: Xavier Becerra
On December 6, 2020, President-elect Joe Biden announced that he intends to appoint California Attorney General Xavier Becerra as U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). For two reasons, the HHS post is an important one. First, the HHS secretary will likely be a point person for the incoming administration’s efforts to combat the…
Preserving Religious Liberty
Luke 20:25: “And [Jesus] said unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which be Caesar’s, and unto God the things which be God’s.” The mission of New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms is to influence legislation and legislators for the Lord Jesus Christ. In so doing, we seek to exert influence in four policy areas:…
Rosenthal Introduces COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate
If you thought the great mask divide of 2020 was contentious, get ready for the vaccine mandate debate of 2021. A New York state lawmaker has introduced a bill that, if passed and signed into law, could lead to a COVID-19 vaccination mandate. The bill, A.11179, was introduced at the request of Asm. Linda Rosenthal…
Cuomo’s Religious Restrictions Receive Supreme Court Slapdown
Late in the evening of November 25, the United States Supreme Court granted requests from the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn and two Orthodox Jewish synagogues to block enforcement of a New York executive order restricting attendance at houses of worship, particularly as it pertained to a 10- and 25-person limit at worship services. Governor…
How Will A Democratic Supermajority Reshape New York?
Now that Senate Democrats in New York state have secured two-thirds of the legislative seats in that chamber, what will they do with their supermajority? A Democratic supermajority in both houses of the State Legislature (the State Assembly has been under a Democratic supermajority for decades) will certainly change the political landscape of Albany. Undoubtedly,…
New Yorkers Have No Intention Of Quitting Thanksgiving ‘Cold Turkey’
As COVID-19 infections continue to climb in New York, Gov. Andrew Cuomo has continued to take executive actions that limit the freedoms of New Yorkers in an effort to stop the spread of the pandemic. On November 12, 2020, Gov. Cuomo issued Executive Order No. 202.74. That order contains various provisions relating to the hours…
Catholics Seek Supreme Court Relief From Cuomo’s Restrictions
Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s recently-imposed cluster zone restrictions on houses of worship make it impossible for some churches within those zones to gather for worship. (Let’s face it: When the Governor limits churches in “red” zones to 10 congregants or fewer, he may as well be shutting them down completely.) The Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn…
Supreme Court Hears Faith-Based Foster Care Case
On November 4, 2020, the Supreme Court of the United States heard oral arguments in Fulton v. City of Philadelphia. This case is a challenge to the City of Philadelphia’s decision to bar Catholic Social Services from providing foster care placement services unless it places foster children with same-sex couples. According to WORLD, “Catholic Social…
COVID Lawsuits Keep Coming At Cuomo’s Clampdown
At New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms, we look forward to the day when we can release a commentary rejoicing that the COVID-19 pandemic is over. The pain and suffering caused by the pandemic, and by the dramatic changes to American society that have resulted from it, cannot be overstated. Unfortunately, COVID-19 is not yet in…
NYCF Congratulates Amy Coney Barrett On Supreme Court Confirmation
Rochester, NY—Today, the United States Senate voted, 52-48, to confirm the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court of the United States. NYCF Executive Director Jason J. McGuire made the following comments: “Conservatives across the nation have cause for celebration tonight. Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s judicial record, scholarly writings, reputation, and performance…
2020 Presidential Campaign: Transgender Issues
At his October 15, 2020 town hall, Democratic presidential candidate and former Vice President Joe Biden (D-DE) spoke out about the “transgender” issue. When asked what he would do to “ensure that the lives and rights of LGBTQ people are protected,” Biden responded that he would “‘flat-out change the law.’” Biden added that he would…
NYCF Signs On To Amicus Brief In Free Speech Case
On October 21, 2020, attorneys for New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms filed an amicus brief (also known as a friend-of-the-court brief) in New Jersey state court in the case of Ferguson v. JONAH. Jews Offering New Alternatives to Healing (JONAH) was a small nonprofit organization in New Jersey that assisted men seeking freedom from unwanted…
Cuomo’s Cluster Action Creates Conundrum For Church Congregations
As Albany Update has previously reported, Gov. Andrew Cuomo recently implemented a new system of COVID-19 restrictions in six specified areas of the state where the coronavirus has shown signs of surging. On October 17, 2020, the Governor outlined a new micro-cluster strategy to tackle COVID-19 hot spots that may arise in other parts of…
Rep. Ocasio-Cortez’s Twitter Take On Religious Faith
On October 12, 2020, during the initial day of hearings on the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court of the United States, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY14) made inflammatory comments on Twitter regarding religious faith. First, the lawmaker tweeted the following: “Sick and tired of Republicans who co-opt faith as an excuse…
New Hope Wins Religious Liberty Battle, Continues to Fight The War
On October 5, 2020, a federal court ruled that an evangelical adoption agency based in Syracuse, New York may remain open while its lawsuit against the State of the New York proceeds. In New Hope Family Services v. Poole, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of New York (D’Agostino, J.) held that New…
Gov. Cuomo Puts ‘NY Forward’ In Reverse
Seven months ago, the lives of New Yorkers dramatically changed when the coronavirus pandemic broke out. Since then, more than 470,000 New Yorkers have tested positive for COVID-19. Tragically, more than 25,500 residents of the Empire State have lost their lives. Because of the pandemic, New Yorkers are experiencing fear, grief, and loss. Because of…