Virginia Attorney General Mark Herring (pictured) says he looks forward to defending the law in court. The anti-LGBTQ+ Alliance Defending Freedom has filed two lawsuits on behalf of clients who contend that Virginia’s new, inclusive civil rights law infringes on their religious liberty and freedom of speech. None of the clients have been accused of violating the law, known as the Virginia Values Act, which took effect July 1 and bans discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. But they say the very existence of the law threatens them. In one suit, filed Monday in Loudoun County Circuit Court, Calvary Road Baptist Church, Community Fellowship Church — Christian schools associated with the churches — and a network of crisis pregnancy centers (aimed at discouraging abortion) called Care Net, say the law would force them “to abandon their core convictions in hiring and other policies or face fines up to $100,000 for each violation,” according to an ADF press release. This would be like “forcing a Democratic candidate to hire a Republican speechwriter,” “forcing PETA to hire an employee who hunts on the weekends,” “forcing Planned Parenthood to hire a pro-life advocate,” or “forcing a kosher deli to serve […]
