Here are highlights for April:
* On April 5, we represented Catholic Healthcare International, Inc. (“CHI”), in a day-long hearing in the state court case filed against the Catholic organization by the Genoa Township, Michigan.
Last September, the Township convinced a local state court judge to issue a TRO, ordering CHI to immediately remove various religious symbols (stations of the cross, a small altar, and a mural wall with the image of Our Lady of Grace) displayed on CHI’s 40-acre property in the Township, claiming that these religious displays were a “nuisance” under the local zoning ordinance.
We moved to dissolve the TRO, and the Township asked the court to convert the TRO into a preliminary injunction.
The court denied our motion and granted the Township’s request, issuing a preliminary injunction as a result.
As noted below, we are appealing the judge’s decision.
* On April 14, we filed a reply in support of our motion for a preliminary injunction in our lawsuit challenging the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate on behalf of four Navy SEALs.
The preliminary injunction motion was filed on behalf of Navy SEAL 4, who recently received an adverse fitness report (a punitive report) and was facing separation proceedings, which prompted the filing.
Unfortunately, on April 29, the district court judge denied our motion, prompting us to immediately appeal the adverse decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit.
The fight continues!
* On April 21, we had another hearing in the state court case filed against CHI involving CHI’s display of religious symbols on its 40-acre property in Genoa Township.
During this hearing, we moved for summary disposition or, in the alternative, to stay the state court proceedings until final resolution of CHI’s previously filed civil rights lawsuit against the Township based on federal constitutional and statutory law.
The judge denied our motion to dismiss, but granted our request to stay the state court proceedings.
The court kept the injunction in place, so we immediately appealed that decision on April 22 to the Michigan Court of Appeals, challenging the injunction on state constitutional grounds (free exercise of religion and freedom of speech).
The federal case marches on!
* On April 22, as noted above, we filed our application for leave to appeal to the Michigan Court of Appeals, seeking immediate review of the state court’s order preliminarily enjoining CHI from using its property for religious worship.
* On April 29, we filed our opening brief in our appeal in the Beemer v. Whitmer case, challenging Governor Whitmer’s most tyrannical executive order issued during the COVID pandemic.
The lower court dismissed the case, claiming that the challenge is “moot” because the state of emergency (the pandemic) ended and the challenged order has been rescinded.
We are continuing to press the case so that these executive orders do not become the new norm.
There are two exceptions to the “mootness” doctrine, both of which apply here. First, the voluntary cessation of illegal conduct does not deprive the court of its power to decide the case (i.e., the case is not moot). And second, because executive orders are capable of repetition, yet evade review due to their short duration, the challenge to this order is not moot.
We won’t let a public “crisis” become the way in which progressives grab power and deprive us of fundamental freedoms.
* During April, we produced a show discussing Elon Musk and our lawsuit against Biden and Twitter during our Videocast / Podcast series titled, “Faith and Freedom Fighters.” Please listen, subscribe, and pass the word!
* We are continuing to challenge COVID-19 vaccine mandates—and the many other tyrannical mandates that were imposed during the “pandemic.”
Thank you for your prayers and financial support. We couldn’t do what we do without them!