A federal judge has rejected a lawsuit from an interfaith group that questioned the composition of President Donald Trump’s Religious Liberty Commission. The group argued that the commission’s predominantly conservative Christian membership lacked a legally required balance of viewpoints.
Judge John P. Cronan, presiding in New York, stated that while federal law mandates balanced viewpoints on advisory commissions, it does not specify how this should be implemented. He remarked that Trump holds extensive discretion in selecting commission members.
The lawsuit, brought forward by plaintiffs like the Interfaith Alliance and Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh organizations, contended that the commission was predominantly composed of conservative Christians with the inclusion of one Orthodox Jewish rabbi. Critics noted that several members had openly doubted the separation of church and state, instead advocating for a nation rooted in Judeo-Christian values.
The critics’ concerns were amplified by a draft report released in June, challenging modern interpretations of church-state separation, advocating instead for “bridges” between them.
Judge Cronan ruled that the lawsuit did not satisfy the legal criteria to advance. He pointed out that the commission’s diversity was evidenced in its inclusion of both clergy and lay members and representation from at least five religions, citing the presence of various Christian denominations and a Jewish member.
The Interfaith Alliance criticized the commission for prioritizing religious freedom over the civil rights of minorities. However, Cronan noted that Trump’s executive order establishing the commission did not see religious liberty as conflicting with civil rights. As a result, it did not mandate appointing members who disagreed with this foundational view.
The Interfaith Alliance has been outspoken against the commission’s recent draft report, arguing it failed to tackle important issues like anti-Muslim violence and endorsed policies that favored some religious groups over others.
The Associated Press reports on this topic through a collaboration with The Conversation US, with support from Lilly Endowment Inc. The AP independently manages its content.
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