Rep. Greg Steube is prodding the Justice Department to investigate four Democrat-led states over allegations that they aren’t allowing parents to use religious objections to opt out of school vaccine mandates.
The Florida Republican is leading a group of fellow GOPers in a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi and Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon asking for the probe of Maine, California, New York and Connecticut.
“The actions of these four states deny parents and guardians the choice over their children’s healthcare decisions and infringe upon constitutionally protected rights. As a result, more states, such as Hawaii and Massachusetts, have been emboldened to further encroach upon Americans’ rights by eliminating religious exemptions for vaccines,” the lawmakers said in the letter, which went out Thursday night.
Other Republicans backing the request include: Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado; Rep. Warren Davidson of Ohio, Rep. Byron Donalds and Anna Paulina Luna of Florida, Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona, Rep. Glenn Grothman of Wisconsin, Reps. Keith Self, Beth Van Duyne and Michael Cloud of Texas, Rep. Ben Cline of Virginia, Rep. Troy Downing of Montana, and Rep. Harriet Hageman of Wyoming.
“Religious freedom is the cornerstone of our republic. It is inexcusable that New York, California, Maine and Connecticut refuse to provide people of faith with a religious exemption from their vaccine mandates. This is not only a direct violation of the free exercise clause, but it is also a grave assault on civil liberties,” Mr. Steube told “Seen, Heard & Whispered.”
“Your constitutional rights should never take a backseat to a vaccine mandate. That is why I am requesting Attorney General Pam Bondi and Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon launch formal investigations of all states that continue to violate the constitutional rights of the American people via coercion and infringement on their religious beliefs.”
The letter notes there are two ongoing federal cases out of New York that the Justice Department could intervene in.
One involves parents challenging the lack of a religious exemption in New York through Children’s Health Defense, which Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy founded.
Another involves a 16-year-old who challenged the COVID-19 masking requirement in her school district.
California and Maine eliminated their religious exemptions in 2015 and 2019. New York also eliminated its in 2019.
Connecticut did away with its exemption in 2021 as a result of the COVID-19 vaccine.
• Alex Swoyer can be reached at aswoyer@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.