Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Republican lawmakers have signaled that this has led to an attack on the First Amendment. Some states have issued lockdowns in order to curve the spread of the coronavirus, and this has created a divide in terms of how the government is fighting over whether or not places of worship should remain open during this time. In ordering them to remain close, Democratic Governors have received heavy criticism, and one lawmaker who is leading the fight to open places of worship is Florida Senator Rick Scott (R).
Republican Senators have argued that Governors are taking actions “to infringe on this constitutional right,” and this causes the former Governor of Florida to direct a resolution in defense of the First Amendment in the United States Constitution.
In a statement regarding the resolution, Scott commented that “religious liberty is our first freedom, and there is no pandemic exception to the First Amendment.”
He added that “liberal governors and mayors across the country have used their emergency powers as a sword to go after churches, synagogues, mosques and other houses of worship, instead of a shield to protect the public health.”
Although “they have argued that these houses of worship should not meet and congregants could not sing, while they applaud massive political protests,” Senator Scott asserted that “that’s wrong.”
Instead, Scott reaffirmed that he is determined to “stand together against these misguided and hypocritical attempts to target religious institutions.”
Sharing the news on social media, Senator Scott shared his statement along with some comments from his colleagues that are part of an even larger number of lawmakers that joined forces in directing the resolution.
Religious liberty is our first freedom, and there is no pandemic exception to the First Amendment.
Today, my colleagues & I stand together against these misguided and hypocritical attempts by liberal governors and mayors across the country to target religious institutions. pic.twitter.com/A8YrnVrlPU
— Rick Scott (@SenRickScott) December 17, 2020
For the most part of the year, Senator Scott has also led a movement urging lawmakers to not allow taxpayer money to bail out blue states. He has gone on the Senate floor to detail his view while also penning an op-ed to reiterate why he believes this would not be a viable move.
