Trump signals support for anti-LGBT religious protection bill

Earlier this week, The Gayly published a report that six GOP presidential contenders had pledged to support the First Amendment Defense Act.

The so-called “First Amendment Defense Act” (FADA) is a proposal by right-wing Rep. Raul Labrador (R-ID) and tea-party conservative Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) to make anti-gay discrimination legal if based on “religious belief or moral conviction.”

According to Towleroad.com, reporting on the 24th, “Donald Trump has expressed support for the legislation in a letter to Pulse, a conservative group.”

Towleroad quotes a Washington Blade report, saying, “If Congress considers the First Amendment Defense Act a priority, then I will do all I can to make sure it comes to my desk for signatures and enactment,” Trump writes.

“The letter was written to the American Principles Project, a social conservative group calling on 2016 candidates to sign a pledge agreeing to push for passage of the First Amendment Defense Act within 100 days of office. Six candidates — Ben Carson, Ted Cruz, Carly Fiorina, Mike Huckabee, Marco Rubio and Rick Santorum — signed the pledge, but Trump instead for the first time signaled conditional support for the legislation in the letter.

“In the missive, Trump outlines his expected approach to religious freedom if he were to occupy the White House. Making the point the president cannot pass legislation, Trump says he would ‘certainly sign legislation that protects religious liberty for all.’”

The official summary at www.Congress.gov says the act “Prohibits the federal government from taking discriminatory action against a person on the basis that such person believes or acts in accordance with a religious belief or moral conviction that: (1) marriage is or should be recognized as the union of one man and one woman, or (2) sexual relations are properly reserved to such a marriage.”

The text of the bill itself makes it clear that the act should be interpreted broadly as a “protection of free exercise of religious beliefs and moral convictions, to the maximum extent permitted by the terms of this Act and the Constitution.”

According to the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), HR 2802/S 1598, the First Amendment Defense Act, is “Tantamount to state sanctioned discrimination. On its face, this bill would prohibit discrimination by the federal government based on individual beliefs about same-sex marriage. In reality, this bill would allow nonprofit organizations and businesses contracting with the federal government to circumvent critical federal protections designed to protect same-sex couples and their families from harmful discrimination. Following the U.S. Supreme Court decisions in U.S. v. Windros and Obergefell v. Hodges, same-sex married couples are entitled to all federal spousal benefits regardless of where they live. Under FADA, however, individual businesses could run roughshod over the civil rights of these couples and deny them the spousal benefits they have earned and deserve.”

“The pledge:

“’If elected, I pledge to push for the passage of the First Amendment Defense Act (FADA) and sign it into law during the first 100 days of my term as President.’”

The Family Research Council, one of the sponsoring organizations, is identified as a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center. The American Principles Project says on its website that it “believes that local and national policies that respect the dignity of the person will lead to a flourishing society,” and then exclude LGBT people from that equality by promoting marriage as the union of one man and one woman, and endorsing the freedom to practice and proclaim religion.” Their actions speak louder than their words, since their support of FADA would make it legal to discriminate, both against LGBT persons, and, on a broader scope, against unwed mothers struggling to raise their children.

According to Towleroad’s report, Maggie Gallagher of the American Principles Project released the following statement a few months ago:

“It has become clear that the First Amendment Defense Act is rapidly becoming a signature issue that unifies the GOP. Three out of the four top contenders for the nomination — Carson, Cruz, and Rubio — have pledged to prioritize passing FADA in their first 100 days of office. Additionally, Bush, Graham, Paul, and now for the first time, Donald Trump, have publicly expressed support for FADA. Real, concrete protections for gay marriage dissenters appear to be just one election victory away.”

“Though the bill’s chances are slim,” says Towleroad, citing that co-sponsors number 148 in the House, and 36 in the Senate, all Republicans except for Rep. Daniel Lipiniski (D-IL). “It has been endorsed by the Republican National Committee….”

The website concludes the endorsement by the RNC and the GOP candidates “should serve as a warning that the fight to retain LGBT rights and protections is far from over and we must continue to be vigilant against efforts to take them away from us.”

The Gayly – December 25, 2015 @ 1:15 p.m.