Despite what is reported in the mainstream media, there have been a number of victories in the fight to resist restrictive pandemic mandates and attacks on the freedoms of speech and religion.

Mathew Staver of Liberty Counsel recently joined the Truth & Liberty livecast to discuss a number of issues, including the fight for our constitutional freedoms.

Liberty Counsel advances “religious freedom, the sanctity of human life and the family through strategic litigation.”

Freeing Churches in California

Liberty Counsel represented Pastor Ché Ahn and Harvest Rock Church in Pasadena, California. Pastor Ahn took a stand against state-mandated restrictions which banned church gatherings or meetings in private homes. Staver’s team took the case all the way to the Supreme Court, winning on behalf of the church.

“It was criminal to engage in worship for nearly a year in the homes and in the churches,” said Staver.

According to Staver, a judge recently issued a permanent injunction stopping the state government from placing any discriminatory restrictions on churches. California was also ordered to pay $1.3 million in attorneys’ fees.

The organization performs all its legal work pro bono and does not charge its clients, but in the cases where the organization seeks repayment of fees from the other party in the suit.

“The good news is . . . all the churches are free,” said Staver. “One church in California was fined over $3 million for meeting and others were threatened, so all of them have the permanent injunction, but in addition to that they’re all going to get attorneys’ fees and costs from the state of California.”

Florida is Leading the Way

Despite all of California’s restrictions on churches, businesses, and citizens, the COVID-related statistics – including infection and death rates – has been significantly higher than other states with far fewer regulations.

“Florida has been open for months,” said Staver. “Restaurants have been at full capacity since last fall, and we haven’t had any problems.”

Dire predictions of school-centered outbreaks didn’t materialize, even though children have been back in classrooms for months. Businesses in Florida are also open and the tourism industry is flourishing, especially in light of vacationers fleeing locked-down states elsewhere in the country.

According to Staver, Florida and its Gov. Ron DeSantis are also taking a stand against so-called vaccine passports – potentially troubling and intrusive technology that identifies who has and has not received “experimental” injections to prevent against COVID infection.

“In Florida, it is now illegal for any government entity or private company to require proof of a vaccine or vaccine passport,” Staver recently wrote. “While [President] Joe Biden and his cronies are organizing federal, state, and private sectors to impose vaccine passports, Gov. DeSantis said ‘No!’”

Learn More

Learn more about Mathew Staver and Liberty Counsel at the organization’s website. Learn more about Liberty Counsel Action’s research on COVID and experimental injections at LC.org/Vaccine.

Watch the full episode at the Truth & Liberty website and visit our Research Center for great practical resources. Also learn how you can become a Truth & Liberty Coalition member and join us in standing for truth in the public square.