What Part of “No Religious Test” Don’t We Understand?

David E. Smith — Wed, 20 Mar 2019 11:00:14 +0000

Written by Jerry Newcombe

The U.S. Constitution says there can be no religious test applied to those seeking office at the federal level (Article 6, clause 3). But lately some on the left are trying to apply a type of religious test against some would-be Trump nominees.

Two years ago, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) raked a Trump nominee over the coals because of the man’s theological views. Russell Vought, a nominee to the Office of Management and Budget, attended Wheaton College.… Continue Reading

Dick Durbin Joins Leftist Colleagues Seeking to Impose a Religious Test on Court Nominee

David E. Smith — Thu, 14 Sep 2017 11:00:41 +0000

Written by John Biver

A few Democrat U.S. Senators, including Illinois’ own Dick Durbin, have been criticized for their questioning of 7th Circuit Court of Appeals nominee Amy Coney Barrett on the grounds that they were attempting to impose a religious test in contravention of the U.S. Constitution.

The National Review’s Alexandra DeSanctis provides the background:

Barrett is a law professor at the University of Notre Dame who has written about the role of religion in public life and delivered academic lectures to Christian legal groups.