"And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are a gift of God?" -- Thomas Jefferson

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Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Court of Appeals Orders a Stay on ObamaCare Appeal for Liberty University

Liberty Counsel
NEWS RELEASE
Contact: PUBLIC RELATIONS DEPARTMENT - 800-671-1776 or Media@LC.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 7, 2013
 

Richmond, VA—The Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Virginia, issued an order to stay the mandate until the U.S. Supreme Court rules on a petition for cert to be filed with the High Court by Liberty Counsel, on behalf of Liberty University and two private individuals. Liberty Counsel’s challenge to ObamaCare is the most comprehensive case pending, challenging (1) the employer mandate; (2) the abortion mandate for religious employers; (3) the abortion mandate for individuals; and (4) the entire law because tax bills must originate in the House. The case is Liberty University v. Lew (formerly called Liberty University v. Geithner).

“I am pleased that the court of appeals stayed the mandate pending a decision from the U.S. Supreme Court. Staying a mandate is not the usual course of action, but in this case, the likelihood that the Supreme Court has an interest in hearing this challenge is high,” said Mat Staver, Founder and Chairman of Liberty Counsel.

In the cert petition due in early October, Liberty Counsel will argue that the employer mandate violates the Commerce Clause. As Congress lacks authority to force individuals to buy an unwanted product, so Congress cannot force employers to buy an unwanted product. And, unlike the individual mandate, which the High Court ruled was a tax, the employer mandate exceeds Congress’s taxing powers because the penalties go beyond reasonable taxing limits and are punitive. The case also challenges the employer and individual mandate provisions as violations of religious free exercise because they force employers to provide abortion-inducing drugs and many individuals to fund abortion.

Liberty Counsel’s case is the only one in the country that challenges the entire employer mandate. “If we are successful in striking down the employer mandate, it will benefit both religious and nonreligious employers,” Staver said.

Liberty Counsel is an international nonprofit litigation, education, and policy organization dedicated to advancing religious freedom, the sanctity of life, and the family since 1989, by providing pro bono legal assistance and representation on these and related topics.
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