A total of 43 Catholic educational, charitable and other entities filed a dozen lawsuits in federal court around the nation Monday, charging that the Obama Administration's rule requiring coverage of birth control in most health insurance plans violates their religious freedom.
Among the plaintiffs in the suits are the University of Notre Dame and the Catholic University of America, as well as the Archdioceses of New York, Washington, Dallas, St. Louis and Pittsburgh.
They join several other, mostly smaller entities that have sued over the requirements for no-cost coverage of regular birth control, sterilization and so-called morning after emergency contraceptives. Because one of the ways those drugs may work is by preventing the implantation of a fertilized egg into a woman's uterus, Catholics believe they can cause a very early abortion, even though they are classified by the Food and Drug Administration as contraceptives.
There's pretty clearly established Supreme Court precedent on the issue of the limits of freedom of religion. At least there were before the Roberts Court. Now, hey, anyone's ballgame. I've got your stare decicis right here, pally.
It's pretty clear that this one's going to end up before SCOTUS at some point too. That might motivate you to go vote in November, just saying.
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