California Gov Newsom becomes unwitting ministry donor after lawsuit

California Governor Gavin Newsom has become the unwitting donor of a ministry in Washington, D.C. after being forced to pay a $1.35 million settlement in legal fees for religious discrimination during COVID-19. The settlement was reached after a judge in the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals granted a permanent injunction against the governor, who became the first governor in the United States to be barred from restricting worship. 

In March 2020, Newsom received a warning from the Justice Department after he allowed schools, restaurants, factories, offices and shopping malls to begin re-opening, but ordered places of worship to remain closed. He then allowed houses of worship to reopen at 25% capacity or 100 people, whichever was fewer. 

In July, Newsom banned home Bible studies, indoor worship services and singing. 

In December 2020, the United States Supreme Court granted a petition filed by the non-profit Liberty Counsel on behalf of Harvest Rock Church, ordering the lower courts to follow the Supreme Court’s ruling on Roman Catholic Diocese vs. Cuomo which ruled in favor of religious liberties. 

But the lower courts refused to strike down Newsom’s restrictions, and Harvest Rock Church vs. Newsom returned to the Supreme Court. 

In February 2021, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Harvest Rock Church, outlawing Newsom’s ban on indoor worship. 

A few months later, the Supreme Court also ruled that Newsom’s ban on home Bible study and worship violated the First Amendment. 

So, in April 2021, Newsom finally allowed home Bible studies, but still outlawed singing and chanting. 

He then lifted mandatory attendance restrictions and, in May, permanently removed all restrictions on worship. 

“Governor Gavin Newsom’s COVID restrictions discriminated against churches while providing preferential treatment to many secular businesses and gatherings,” said Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver. “The Supreme Court intervened multiple times to provide relief. Under the settlement, California may never again place discriminatory restrictions on churches and places of worship.” 

Newsom was ordered to pay $1.35 million to Liberty Counsel for legal fees, money which the legal group used to pay for the Faith & Liberty Ministry Center in Washington, D.C. The ministry provides prayer services, Bible studies, and events on Capitol Hill.