Representative Jerry O’Connor (R-Fond du Lac) released the following statement after U.S. Supreme Court released their opinion which overturned the Wisconsin Supreme Court’s decision in Catholic Charities Bureau, Inc. v. Wisconsin Labor & Industry Review Commission:

“Earlier this morning, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously overturned Catholic Charities Bureau, Inc. v. Wisconsin Labor & Industry Review Commission which was a wrongly decided case by the Wisconsin Supreme Court (SCOWIS) concerning the work of faith based charity,” said Rep. O’Connor

“The ruling corrects a deeply flawed decision by the radical liberals on the SCOWIS, which denied Catholic Charities a religious exemption granted to other faith-based non-profits, based on the ‘theological differences’ of their religion. The SCOWIS had effectively proposed a preposterous religious test for charities, setting up a future in which the government would decide whether any faith based organization’s activities are “religious enough” to qualify for a tax exemption. This is exactly what the Founding Fathers protected us from when they enshrined freedom of religion in the First Amendment.”

“Faith-based organizations like Catholic Charities play a crucial role in Fond du Lac providing adult day services, adoption services, counseling, & pregnancy and parenting support.”

“I applaud the U.S. Supreme Court seeing the errors in the previous decision and unanimously overturning it to protect religious liberties.”