Tag Archives: ADF: Joe Infranco

Joe Infranco on the Janet Mefferd Show to discuss the litigation. | MP3 audio 11:28 mins

Joe Infranco at Townhall: Is Billy Graham getting political? That’s what some are wondering with the release of a statement from the man who is arguably the best known evangelist in the world: I believe it is vitally important that we cast our ballots for candidates who base their decisions on biblical principles and support the nation of Israel. I urge you to vote for those who support the sanctity of life and support the biblical definition of marriage between a man and a woman. Vote for biblical values this November 6, and pray with me that America will remain one nation under God.

Joe Infranco at the Baptist Message Online: With the Olympics fresh in our minds, we see yet again the connection between commitment and performance. Thinking about that connection reminded me of a scene from the Academy Award winning movie Chariots of Fire. There is a scene where the British Olympic Committee attempts to pressure the Scottish runner Eric Liddell to run on the Sabbath during the 1924 Olympics.

Alliance Defending Freedom Blog: His explanation to his puzzled friend is that Liddell’s commitment as a runner is an extension of who he is and what he believes; the attempt to sever him from the source of his greatness was both foolish and morally wrong. That’s an important lesson many on the left fail to learn as they blithely cast aside religious liberty and rights of conscience for others

Hugh Hewitt and Joe Infranco at National Review: Hamlet, Shakespeare’s melancholy Dane, epitomized the man paralyzed by indecision, never sure how he should feel or act. With the decision to deny review in the case of California’s Mount Soledad Veterans’ Memorial, the U.S. Supreme Court’s long-awaited guidance on religious traditions feels like an extended version of that play.

Joe Infranco on WTBN Drive Time with Bill Bunkley. | MP3 audio 23:35 mins | Elane Photography information page

One News Now: ADF attorney Erik Stanley weighs in on the issue. “Public monuments to those who gave the ultimate sacrifice should not be dismantled because a few offended activists want to scrub the public square clean of anything that hints of religion,” says Stanley . . . ADF attorney Joe Infranco says that complaint is getting old. “The idea that this 91-year-old memorial is unconstitutional is a tiresome claim from a radical group that has dreamed of a purely secularized society for years,” states Infranco.

Joe Infranco at the Speak Up Movement Blog: The scorecard for a culture in any particular generation is irrelevant; the Church has a role to play in society, and the facile assumption it should change its essential beliefs to conform to the times reveals an appalling lack of understanding of its role. The Church, for all its human failures and struggles, still bears the message of a greater transcendent truth. Light is never needed more than in the darkest of times.

Joe Infranco and Doug Napier appeared on KPXQ 1360 Koinonia with Tom Brown. | MP3 audio 40:41 mins

Joe Infranco at the Baptist Press: It seems almost daily we’re reminded of the relentless attack on religious freedom. But we must keep in mind that there are small, but meaningful victories occurring along the way, as well. Recently, a positive trend has developed in case law under the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment. This positive trend recognizes and affirms important constitutionally protected freedoms for churches and para-church ministries, such as Christian schools or substance abuse programs.

Speak Up Movement Church: Recently, a positive trend has developed in case law under the Free Exercise Clause of the First Amendment. This positive trend recognizes and affirms important constitutionally protected freedoms for churches and para-church ministries, such as Christian schools or substance abuse programs. A group of recent, seemingly disparate cases illustrate this encouraging theme in the law.

In Forum: The topic will be Constitutional Measure 3, the Religious Liberty Restoration Amendment, and featured speakers will be Tom Freier of the North Dakota Family Alliance and Joe Infranco of the Alliance Defense Fund.

Alliance Defense Fund Senior Vice-President and Senior Counsel Joseph Infranco will join numerous other religious leaders Friday at the San Diego “Speak Up for Religious Freedom” rally. The rally will express opposition to the Obama administration mandate that forces religious organizations to provide abortion-inducing drugs, sterilization, and other contraceptives through their insurance plans.

DF senior counsel Joseph Infranco said public monuments “to honor those who gave their lives in service to our nation should not be torn apart based on the subjective ‘offense’ of a litigious few.” “Allowing that to happen places the future of these beloved memorials into the hands of activists whose sole concern is furthering a divisive, political agenda, no matter the cost,” he said. [more quotes and from the ADF brief]

ADF Attorney Joe Infranco apeared on the Georgene Rice Show to discuss the ruling. | MP3 audio 9:40 mins

ADF Attorney Joe Infranco at Townhall: So in effect, the compromise – should it be enacted – still requires religious non-profits to both foot the bill and violate their religious beliefs and teachings. The creeping mandates of government compelling religious organizations to do so should shock us all; the latest attempt at “compromise” is an empty well.

ADF Attorney Joe Infranco and John Eastman, Chairman of the Board of the National Organization for Marriage appeared on Ave Maria Radio with Al Kresta to discuss the ruling. | MP3 audio 13:08 mins

ADF Attorney Joe Infranco appeared with Cy Kellett on KCEO (Catholic Radio San Diego). | MP3 audio 21:54 mins

World Net Daily: “Although we are disappointed that the Ninth Circuit denied requests to have the full court rehear this case, we are encouraged that five of the judges agree with us and believe the cross should stay,” said Kelly Shackelford, attorney for the memorial . . . Joseph Infranco, senior counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund, also praised the 23-page dissent.”The political agenda of secularist groups should not be allowed to uproot memorials that honor the sacrifices of America’s fallen heroes and their families,” he said. [more]

Dakota Voice: But this unconstitutional restriction on freedom of speech and freedom of religious expression needs to come to an end, and the Alliance Defense Fund is working to make that happen with their Pulpit Initiative, and any pastor can join. (Links to ADF video on YouTube)

ADF attorneys Joe Infranco and Byron Babione at The American Spectator: The plain fact is that a memorial cross at this site does not “establish” a religion. The agenda of a few atheists should not diminish the sacrifice of the heroes and victims of 9/11. The place of this potent symbol of our shared tragedy and courage should remain for all time.

ADF attorneys Joe Infranco and Byron Babione at the NY Daily News: The lawsuit by American Atheists seeking to remove the World Trade Center cross from the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum badly distorts the meaning of the First Amendment, but it nonetheless provides an excellent opportunity for each of us to understand what the Constitution really prohibits as an “establishment” of religion.

ADF attorney Joe Infranco at The Speak Up Movement Church Blog: The cause of this kerfuffle is a girder resembling a cross, which will be included in the National 9/11 Memorial in New York. Yet, there is one highly unusual twist in this latest lawsuit in the campaign to expunge public symbols of our religious history: Human hands did not fashion the cross-shaped beams.

Joel Oster at the Speak Up Movement Church Blog: In Bronx Household of Faith v. Board of Education of the City of New York, the Second Circuit issued an opinion that directly contradicts the last thirty years of Supreme Court precedent, takes away a vast amount of legal protection for religious speech, and I guarantee will make every Christian scratch his or her head, and mutter, “What in the world were they thinking?” Let me give you a little context . . .

OneNewsNow.com: “This is just one of numerous lawsuits throughout the country demonstrating that many municipalities don’t understand the law. Zoning schemes may not exclude churches or single them out from similar uses for disfavored treatment,” notes ADF attorney Joe Infranco. “The lawsuit had a great outcome, and we hope other cities and similar situations will take notice.

Charisma: “Churches should not be singled out for discrimination by a city’s zoning restrictions,” says John W. Mauck, lead counsel in the suit and an ADF alliance attorney. “The city of Mountain Home did the right thing by agreeing to this court order and letting this growing church meet on its leased property so it can exercise its constitutionally protected right to assemble—just like everyone else.” . . . “This case is just one of numerous lawsuits throughout the country demonstrating that many municipalities don’t understand the law. Zoning schemes may not exclude churches or single them out from similar uses for disfavored treatment,” ADF Senior Counsel Joseph Infranco explains.“This lawsuit had a great outcome, and we hope other cities in similar situations will take notice.”

ADF attorney Joe Infranco appeared on the Janet Mefferd Show to discuss the Bronx Household ruling. | MP3 audio 19:17 mins

ADF attorney Joe Infranco appeared on Talkback with Chuck Wilder. | MP3 audio 18:32 mins

Sonoran News: “Public officials should be able to recognize public prayer activities just as America’s founders did,” said ADF Senior Counsel Joseph Infranco. “After the events of this past weekend, it’s hard to imagine better timing for this event. We encourage all Americans to take part in National Day of Prayer activities to give thanks to God and ask for His guidance. ADF stands ready to defend such activities if they are challenged in court.”

ADF attorney Joe Infranco appeared on the Hugh Hewitt Show to | MP3 audio 5:50 mins | Decision Points: An Evening with President George W. Bush | ADF Media: 7th Circuit rejects lawsuit against National Day of Prayer | Website: Save the National Day of Prayer

ADF attorney Joe Infranco appeared on the Georgene Rice Show to discuss the National Day of Prayer. | MP3 audio 12:11 mins | Save the National Day of Prayer

Charisma News: “Public officials should be able to recognize public prayer activities just as America’s founders did,” says ADF Senior Counsel Joseph Infranco. “After the events of this past weekend, it’s hard to imagine better timing for this event. We encourage all Americans to take part in National Day of Prayer activities to give thanks to God and ask for His guidance. ADF stands ready to defend such activities if they are challenged in court

ADF attorney Joe Infranco on the Janet Mefferd Show: ADF takes Utah roadside crosses case to U.S. Supreme Court | MP3 audio 18:22 mins

One News Now: City zoning officials shouldn’t prohibit street signs for Christian organizations just because the message displayed happens to communicate something religious,” argues ADF attorney Joe Infranco. “Signs for Jesus” was prohibited for ten months because town officials thought the “objectionable” messages would be a distraction for motorists — until ADF became involved

ADF-allied attorney’s lawsuit prompts Chichester to approve sign originally rejected for its ‘dangerous,’ ‘distracting’ religious content

Oregon Faith Report: Georgene Rice interviews Joseph Infranco with the Alliance Defense Fund to discuss greater implications of a recent New Hampshire Supreme Court Ruling that forced a home school student into a government run school against her mother’s wishes. The court made clear it was not addressing larger religious liberty or home school issues, but rather on the narrow facts of the case.

ADF attorney Joe Infranco appeared on Catholic Radio of San Diego with ADF allied attorney Charles LiMandri. | MP3 audio 47:17 mins

ADF attorney Joe Infranco appeared on the Rich Buhler Show to discuss this: NH Supreme Court sidesteps critical religious liberty issue in homeschooler case. | MP3 audio 14:00 mins

The New American: While home school advocates were concerned the case might set a precedent for other courts to force home schooled children to attend public school, Joseph Infranco, senior counsel for ADF, predicted that because the state court limited its decision to the facts in the case, the ruling could not be used “as a battering-ram against religious liberty or home schooling — and ADF will be vigilant to make sure that it’s not.”

ADF attorney Joe Infranco appeared on the George Rice Show to discuss this: NH Supreme Court sidesteps critical religious liberty issue in homeschooler case. | MP3 audio 11:31 mins

Baptist Press: Joseph Infranco, senior counsel for ADF, said, “Although we strongly disagree with the court’s decision for this family and do not believe the trial court should have considered religion as it did, we appreciate that the Supreme Court limited its decision to the facts of this case. This decision cannot be used as a battering-ram against religious liberty or homeschooling, and ADF will be vigilant to make sure that it’s not.”

One News Now: “Although we were disappointed with the outcome, we think at least the [New Hampshire] Supreme Court got the message and did not say anything in the decision in any way that would harm either home schooling or the religious considerations of a parent in schooling their children,” he explains. “So I think in a sense, although it was a loss, at least the court recognized the dangers and avoided those.” Infranco adds that “this decision cannot be used as a battering-ram against religious liberty or home schooling — and ADF will be vigilant to make sure that it’s not.”

LifeSiteNews: “Parents have a fundamental right to make educational choices for their children,” responded Simmons. “Courts can settle disputes, but they cannot legitimately order a child into a government-run school on the basis that her religious views need to be mixed with other views. That’s precisely what the lower court admitted it was doing.”
“The lower court held the Christian faith of this mother and daughter against them,” Simmons said. “Unfortunately, the Supreme Court bypassed this issue and wrote this off as a ‘parent versus parent’ issue without recognizing the very real underlying threat to religious liberty.” Nevertheless, ADF Senior Counsel Joseph Infranco said that the law firm appreciates the Supreme Court’s choice to limit “its decision to the facts of this case,” which should ensure that the decision “cannot be used as a battering-ram against religious liberty or homeschooling.” The “ADF will be vigilant to make sure that it’s not,” he concluded.

One News Now: “Now this is a stretch of road where there are plenty of signs of all sorts,” explains ADF attorney Joe Infranco. “They’re the same dimensions. They’re also lit up. In fact, there’s a gas station right nearby — and [yet] the town denied permission to do this because of the content, because it was going to be a religious message.”

ADF attorney Joe Infranco on the Drew Mariani Show to discuss this: NH town: Christian roadside sign more distracting, dangerous than gas station signs. | MP3 audio 11:12 mins

An Alliance Defense Fund allied attorney representing a religious organization filed a lawsuit Monday against officials with the town of Chichester. The town’s planning board rejected the nonprofit’s application to construct an electronic message sign on its private property. The sign would display Bible verses along a public road where numerous other signs of similar dimension are already displayed.

The New American: Joseph Infranco of the Alliance Defense Fund, which helped to represent the firefighters, told OneNewsNow.com that the four men “were subjected to hours of just graphic, lewd exhibits and gestures and catcalls and all that sort of thing…. It’s shocking to think that the city would tell firefighters that they have to participate in a parade and be subjected to all this sort of lewd, sexual behavior.”

CNA News (Spanish edition – translation by Google): Attorney Joseph Infranco of the Alliance Defense Fund, in charge of the defense of the firefighters, expressed hope that “this decision terminates the city’s efforts to defend his conduct to compel people to participate in events of a sexual nature that are against their personal and moral convictions. ”

ADF attorney Joe Infranco appeared on the Janet Mefferd Show (1.6.2011) to discuss this: NH Supreme Court to hear arguments in case of home-schooled girl Thursday. | MP3 audio 17 mins

Inside the Issues: “Alliance Defense Fund Senior Counsel [Joseph Infranco] and ADF-allied attorney Charles S. LiMandri spoke on Saturday, January 15, 2011 at a rally in support of protecting the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial . . . ‘War heroes have earned the right to be remembered,’ Infranco said. ‘The memory of those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom shouldn’t be dishonored because the ACLU claims several people were merely offended.’”

ChristianNewsWire: “Hundreds maybe thousands of patriotic citizens along with local and national leaders will rally tomorrow 10am PST in San Diego in relentless defense and support of the Mt Soledad Veterans Memorial Cross atop Mt Soledad near La Jolla, Ca . . . ‘It’s tragic that the court chose a twisted and tired interpretation of the First Amendment over the common sense idea that families of fallen American troops should be allowed to honor these heroes as they choose. No one is harmed, constitutionally or otherwise, by the presence of a cross on a memorial. The memorial cross should stand in honor of the sacrifice made by American troops.’ said [Joe Infranco], Senior Counsel, Alliance Defense Fund.”

WORLD Mag: “The second controversial cross stands in La Jolla, Calif., on land that the federal government took through eminent domain in 2006 after a district court judge ruled that the cross violated the California State Constitution . . . [Joe Infranco], senior counsel for the Alliance Defense Fund (ADF), said that Justice Anthony Kennedy’s language in Salazar v. Buono makes ADF hopeful that the Supreme Court will rule in favor of the cross standing.”

ADF President and CEO Alan Sears writing at Inside the Issues: “Paul warned the Christians of Corinth that the cross would always be ‘a stumbling block’ and ‘foolishness’ (1 Corinthians 1:22) to the people around them. He told the Philippians that there were many who act as ‘enemies of the cross of Christ (Philippians 3:18).’ That opposition took a significant new legal hold in a ruling issued January 4th by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. The court ruled 3-0 that the memorial cross that has stood at Mount Soledad since 1954 violates the U.S. Constitution.”

California Catholic Daily: “[Joe Infranco], senior counsel of the Arizona-based Alliance Defense Fund, criticized the ruling. ‘It’s tragic that the court chose a twisted and tired interpretation of the First Amendment over the common sense idea that the families of fallen American troops should be allowed to honor these heroes as they choose,’ he said.”

ADF attorney Joe Infranco writing at Speak Up Movement / Church: “The Perry case, which is attempting to overturn the voters’ definition of marriage in Prop 8, is a spectacular example of misused words and shifting meanings. The distortions begin with an assault on the very word ‘marriage,’ which has always referred to a union of two different but complementary entities . . . All this pales, however, in light of the casual assertion (advanced by those seeking to overturn the will of voters in Prop 8 ) that same-sex couples ‘procreate.’ Um, no … they do not; or rather they cannot – by definition.”

CBN: “The New Hampshire Supreme Court is considering whether it should force the 11-year-old daughter of a divorced couple to attend public school . . . ‘The (lower) court went beyond the disagreement between the parents and offered the opinion that the child was being raised with rigid religious views and had not had the opportunity to be exposed to other points of view to challenge these views,’ ADF attorney [Joseph Infranco] said.” | Article includes a short CBN News video report that excerpts a phone interview with Infranco.

Bruce Walker writing at The New American: “The Alliance Defense Fund, a Christian legal group based in Arizona, had been fighting efforts to remove the cross. [Joe Infranco], senior counsel for the group, urged that the cross be left, saying: ‘There memory of those who sacrificed their lives shouldn’t be dishonored because the ACLU finds a small number of people who are merely offended’ . . . Why should cities with such profoundly religious names be allowed to tax people to support them? Maybe that could be the next stage in the taxpayers’ revolt.”

ADF attorney Joe Infranco writing at Speak Up Movement / Church: “A home school case being argued in the New Hampshire Supreme Court Jan. 6 is a window into the kind of subtle bias against Christianity that permeates our modern institutions. Only, in this case it’s not even subtle. The reasoning of a lower court is a jolting revelation of how Biblical Christian values may be publicly marginalized.”

ADF attorney Joe Infranco appeared on NC Family Policy Matters to discuss the Christian Flag War Memorial Dispute. | MP3 audio 14:17 mins

ADF attorney Joe Infranco appeared on AFR Focal Point with Bryan Fischer to discuss the NH Homeschool case. | MP3 audio 11:09 mins

ADF attorney Joe Infranco appeared on the Vicki McKenna Show to discuss the Mt. Soledad veteran’s memorial ruling and the NH homeschooling case. | MP3 audio 19:16 mins

Gina Miller writing at Dakota Voice: “‘”Unfortunately, the decision does not surprise me based on the philosophical beliefs and records of the judges on the panel. The decision was more likely than not,” said Alliance Defense Fund Senior Counsel Joe Infranco. ADF filed an amicus brief in the case on behalf of the American Legion.’”

CNA: “‘It’s tragic that the court chose a twisted and tired interpretation of the First Amendment over the common sense idea that the families of fallen American troops should be allowed to honor these heroes as they choose,’ [ADF attorney Joe Infranco] said.”

Crosswalk religion summaries: “Alliance Defense Fund Senior Counsel [Joe Infranco] labeled the ruling in Trunk v. City of San Diego a tragedy.”

Charisma: “Alliance Defense Fund Senior Counsel [Joe Infranco] says war heroes have earned the right to be remembered. As he sees it, the memory of those who sacrificed their lives for our freedom shouldn’t be dishonored because the ACLU finds a small number of people who are merely offended.”

The Christian Post: “The Circuit Court’s three-judge panel ruled Tuesday that the memorial cross at Mt. Soledad violates the U.S. Constitution . . . ‘It’s tragic that the court chose a twisted and tired interpretation of the First Amendment over the common-sense idea that the families of fallen American troops should be allowed to honor these heroes as they choose,’ [ADF Attorney Joe Infranco] expressed in a statement following yesterday’s ruling.”

WorldNetDaily: “‘Unfortunately, the decision does not surprise me based on the philosophical beliefs and records of the judges on the panel. The decision was more likely than not,’ said Alliance Defense Fund Senior Counsel [Joe Infranco]. ADF filed an amicus brief in the case on behalf of the American Legion.”

Washington Times: “A cross perched atop San Diego’s Mount Soledad for nearly a century is unconstitutional and must be removed, according to a federal court ruling Tuesday . . . ‘War heroes have earned the right to be remembered,’ said ADF senior counsel [Joe Infranco]. ‘The memory of those who sacrificed their lives for freedom shouldn’t be dishonored because the ACLU finds a small number of people who are merely offended.’”

Associated Press: “A war memorial cross in a San Diego public park is unconstitutional because it conveys a message of government endorsement of religion, a federal appeals court ruled Tuesday in a two decade old case . . . ‘It’s tragic that the court chose a twisted and tired interpretation of the First Amendment over the common sense idea that the families of fallen American troops should be allowed to honor these heroes as they choose,’ [ADF Attorney Joe Infranco] said.”

Ken Klukowski writing at Townhall: “Various outlets have reported throughout December that regulators from the Federal Reserve told privately-owned banks that they can’t have Christmas displays . . . [ADF Attorney Joe Infranco] says, ‘It’s ridiculous that people have to think twice about whether it’s okay to publicly celebrate Christmas. An overwhelming majority of Americans celebrate Christmas and are opposed to any kind of censorship of it.’” | Related: Federal Reserve Board backs off policy of barring religious displays in bank

Winston-Salem Journal: “The only flags that will fly next year at the Veteran’s Memorial will be Christian ones, based on applications the city has received from about 80 King residents . . . [Joe Infranco], an attorney for the Alliance Defense Fund who helped craft the policy, and City Attorney Walter Pitt have said that the policy follows legal guidelines because it allows individuals to express their religious views, which are protected by the First Amendment.”

attorneysforlanduse.com (Dalton, Tomich, and Pensler, PLC): “As noted in the Alliance Defense Blog, in Hazel Park, Michigan, city authorities have been doing their red-tape best to gerrymander a local congregation, Salvation Temple Church, out of the district. Happily, a federal judge is making it her business to introduce the town fathers to the First Amendment.” (Joe Infranco, ADF mentioned throughout)

ADF attorney Joe Infranco appeared on the Mike Gallagher Show to discuss this: Swedish government’s 18-month-long seizure of 9-year-old boy pushing parents to emotional brink. | MP3 12:03 mins

ADF Senior Counsel Joe Infranco writing at Speak Up Movement / Church: First, the ballot process was started well before the state high court decision redefining marriage . . . the people pursuing the amendment were concerned with the definition of marriage, and not ‘taking away rights’ that did not even exist at the time the effort began . . . How about the ballot summary that supposedly demonstrates the voters’ bad motives? It was changed from its prior neutral description (‘Limit on Marriage Constitutional Amendment’) to the ‘eliminates right of same sex couples . . .’ language by Attorney General Jerry Brown – yes, the same Jerry Brown who refused to defend Prop 8.”

The Sun News (AP): “The plan, which was designed with the help of the Alliance Defense Fund, a Christian civil rights group, is aimed to appease both critics of the original display of a lone Christian flag, and those who protested the flag’s removal . . . ‘Groups like Americans United for Separation have an extreme agenda that is trying to eradicate any recognition of our religious heritage in the public square,’ Infranco said. ‘I’m really puzzled as to how they could turn a policy that honors veterans into a constitutional crisis.’”