Group fights donation policy
Olivia Moran - The Daily Iowan
Issue date: 4/10/08 Section: Metro
Iowa officials have failed to respond to a lawsuit involving state employees' ability to donate to religious organizations by the proposed April 8 deadline.
Despite requests, the state hadn't responded by the end of that day, said lead counsel Casey Mattox of the Center for Law and Religious Freedom.
The suit, which was filed on March 19, targets officials from the Iowa One Gift campaign - the only program through which state employees can donate money to a charity of their choice through payroll deductions. Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund are contending that the campaign excludes religious organizations from receiving those donations.
But Robert Bailey, the communications director for the Iowa Department of Administrative Services, said the program isn't denying inclusion of any particular group.
"Employees can give to any organization they choose," he said. "There has not been an organization that has been turned away from the list."
Mattox said although the campaign's nondiscrimination requirement was made clear in a letter from its officials, the issue hasn't been completely resolved.
"They have not budged at this point on the other exclusion, which is the direct exclusion saying if you're an organization participating in the campaign, you can not engage in any religious activities or advocate from any religious view points," he said.
An interested religious organization would be required to confirm that it complies with those policies, Mattox said.
The Iowa One Gift website states that "agencies and federations of agencies engaged in any way in sectarian activities, including activities aimed at promoting the adoption or defeat of any one or more religious viewpoints, shall not be eligible to participate."
In the suit, attorneys wrote that by excluding religious organizations from the campaign based on their viewpoints, the defendants are violating their right to freedom of speech, expressive association, religion, and due process, and it also violates the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses of the First Amendment.
Mattox said the plaintiffs are hoping the state will comply as in similar lawsuits in Wisconsin and Florida. The defendants have been served with a complaint, he said.
E-mail DI reporter Olivia Moran at:
olivia-moran@uiowa.edu
Despite requests, the state hadn't responded by the end of that day, said lead counsel Casey Mattox of the Center for Law and Religious Freedom.
The suit, which was filed on March 19, targets officials from the Iowa One Gift campaign - the only program through which state employees can donate money to a charity of their choice through payroll deductions. Attorneys with the Alliance Defense Fund are contending that the campaign excludes religious organizations from receiving those donations.
But Robert Bailey, the communications director for the Iowa Department of Administrative Services, said the program isn't denying inclusion of any particular group.
"Employees can give to any organization they choose," he said. "There has not been an organization that has been turned away from the list."
Mattox said although the campaign's nondiscrimination requirement was made clear in a letter from its officials, the issue hasn't been completely resolved.
"They have not budged at this point on the other exclusion, which is the direct exclusion saying if you're an organization participating in the campaign, you can not engage in any religious activities or advocate from any religious view points," he said.
An interested religious organization would be required to confirm that it complies with those policies, Mattox said.
The Iowa One Gift website states that "agencies and federations of agencies engaged in any way in sectarian activities, including activities aimed at promoting the adoption or defeat of any one or more religious viewpoints, shall not be eligible to participate."
In the suit, attorneys wrote that by excluding religious organizations from the campaign based on their viewpoints, the defendants are violating their right to freedom of speech, expressive association, religion, and due process, and it also violates the Establishment and Free Exercise Clauses of the First Amendment.
Mattox said the plaintiffs are hoping the state will comply as in similar lawsuits in Wisconsin and Florida. The defendants have been served with a complaint, he said.
E-mail DI reporter Olivia Moran at:
olivia-moran@uiowa.edu
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
cseeley
ceseeley
posted 4/10/08 @ 6:33 PM CST
In the first place, I have a terrible time understanding this, because most belief systems promote their beliefs in one way or another over other belief systems even if it is in a small way. (Continued…)
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