Court rules Obama admin can force Catholic TV network to pay for abortifacient, contraceptive coverage
ATLANTA, Georgia, February 22, 2016 (LifeSiteNews)
-- A three-judge panel of the 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals has
ruled that the Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) must violate its
Catholic beliefs and pay for insurance that covers abortifacient drugs
and contraceptives.
In
its decision, the federal court said, “We accept the plaintiffs’
sincere belief . . . that the accommodation puts them to a choice
between honoring their religious beliefs and facing significant
penalties. We nonetheless conclude that the accommodation imposes no
substantial burden.”
Those government-imposed "significant penalties" could amount to as much as $35,000 every day for EWTN's 350 employees.
However,
after ruling, the appellate court suspended any penalties against EWTN
until the Supreme Court rules on the mandate later this year.
EWTN
had appealed the HHS mandate that requires companies – even religious
ones – to pay for insurance that covers abortifacient drugs,
sterilization, and contraception for all their employees.
EWTN Chairman Michael P. Warsaw commented,
"We are extremely disappointed that the Court has refused to protect
our religious freedom... This decision orders EWTN to violate its
religious beliefs and comply with the government's HHS mandate or pay
massive fines to the IRS."
The
ObamaCare-forced coverage "also threatens the financial viability of
any organization that disagrees with the administration’s politics,"
Warsaw noted. "The mandate makes it impossible for us to live up to
(our) core mission... That ultimatum is unfair, unconstitutional and
repugnant."
The
Becket Fund handled the legal defense for EWTN. "This is wrong," lead
attorney Lori Windham said. "Our government wants to punish EWTN for
practicing its faith." She said they will continue to pursue this
breech of justice all the way to the Supreme Court.
Alabama Attorney General Luther Strange even joined EWTN's case against the HHS mandate.
The
lone dissenter on the three-judge appellate panel, Judge Gerald Bard
Tjoflat, a Nixon appointee and a Ford appointee to the nation’s court of
appeals, wrote: "The majority runs roughshod over the sincerely held
religious objections of EWTN." Tjoflat noted that at its core, "the
majority's reasoning takes aim at the heart of the Religious Freedom
Restoration Act itself."
EWTN
argued that they should not have to pay for the offending insurance.
"Contraception, abortion-inducing drugs and voluntary sterilization are
not healthcare, and the government should not force EWTN to provide
them as part of our employer-sponsored health plan."
"EWTN cannot comply with the mandate," Warsaw plainly stated in a New York Times editorial. "We would...be in the untenable position of facilitating access to drugs that go against our beliefs."
The Catholic TV network asked for the prayers of the faithful "as we consider our response to the Court's decision."
Hundreds of other Christian organizations and businesses have also legally challenged the HHS mandate.
EWTN
has become the largest religious TV network in the world, broadcasting
to over 145 countries in indigenous languages. The network also
includes radio broadcasts, wire services, publishing, the largest
Catholic website in the United States, and online and print news
services, including "The National Catholic Register.