Robert Aderholt defends Auburn University after Freedom From Religion Foundation blasts school for promoting Christianity
Congressman Robert Aderholt (R-AL04) came to the defense of Auburn University after it was attacked by the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) for their coaches’ participation in a recent prayer event. The Freedom From Religion Foundation sent a letter warning Auburn University that “Auburn University must put a stop to religion in its athletic programs, the Freedom From Religion Foundation is insisting, after multiple coaches promoted a religious worship event where head football coach Hugh Freeze baptized a player.” “The Freedom From Religion Foundation should remember that the U.S. Constitution protects religious expression for everyone, regardless of who their employer might be,” Aderholt said on Twitter. “This event should be praised, not criticized.” The Wisconsin-based group claimed that it has “received numerous reports that Freeze, basketball coach Bruce Pearl and baseball coach Butch Thompson were involved in promoting a religious worship service to students on September 12 called “Unite Auburn.” A video promoting the event featured Thompson saying that Unite Auburn would allow students to “come together and lift the name of Jesus.” Unite Auburn “was dedicated to worship and giving messages to Auburn students seeking to grow their faith in God or who were curious about Christianity. The event’s goal was to unite the Christian community of Auburn under one roof to worship God.” The FFRF stated, “University-sponsored religious activities violate the U.S. Constitution.” Chris Line is a staff attorney for FFRF. Line wrote to Auburn University President Chris Roberts. “Auburn University is a public university, not a religious one,” Line wrote to Dr. Roberts. “It is inappropriate and unconstitutional for university employees to use their university position to organize, promote, or participate in a religious worship event. These ongoing and repeated constitutional violations at the university create a coercive environment that excludes those students who don’t subscribe to the Christian views being pushed onto players by their coaches.” The FFRF also chastised U.S. Senator Tommy Tuberville (R-Alabama) for his holds on military promotions over his opposition to the Biden Administration’s use of taxpayer dollars to facilitate abortions in the military. FFRF has gone after Auburn before, most notably in 2015, when they accused Auburn and then Coach Tuberville of being “overly prayerful” and “for establishing many unconstitutional religious practices in Auburn team sports.” Specifically, FFRF cites Auburn for allowing coaches to hire team chaplains. FFRF insists that Auburn Coaches “may not lead or encourage any religious activities in their capacity as coaches and cannot participate in any student-led religious activities.” Annie Laurie Gaylor is the Co-President of FFRF. “The abuse of power displayed by these coaches shows that Auburn hasn’t changed one bit since we published our 2015 report,” said Co-President Gaylor. “As coaches, their responsibility lies in guidance on the field, not guiding these students to pews. They should start by firing the team chaplains, whose very presence signals that Auburn University has an inappropriate relationship with Christian evangelists.” The event that upset FFRF was a prayer rally that the three coaches and thousands of others attended. A number of students were baptized at the event, drawing some headlines and the ire of the FFRF. The event was not part of any sporting event and was outside the coach’s official Auburn duties. Tuscaloosa Attorney Luisa Reyes told Alabama Today, “The Freedom From Religion Foundation has it wrong. The Constitution prevents the government from establishing a religion, but it also protects the free exercise of religion, which is what the Auburn coaches were doing at this event. Their position as coaches does not mean they lose their free speech rights or right to practice their faith.” Rep. Aderholt’s wife, Caroline McDonald Aderholt, serves on the Auburn Board of Trustees. To connect with the author of this story or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
Judge Steven King suspended by Judicial Inquiry Commission
On Tuesday, the Alabama Judicial Inquiry Commission (JIC) suspended Blount County Circuit Judge Steven D. King over allegations he violated the Alabama canons of judicial ethics. The JIC claims in the complaint that Judge King sent an anonymous complaint letter to the media claiming that a Warrior police officer and two Blount County Commissioners were unfit for office. Specifically, the complaint claims that in the anonymous letter, Judge King alleged that Blount County Commissioner Dean Calvert and the Warrior police officer used fraud to obtain property. The complaint also alleges that King claimed that the Warrior police officer had an adulterous affair while on vacation in Gulf Shores and that Calvert and the other County Commissioner allowed the Warrior police officer to have a liaison with the young woman in their hotel room – a hotel room paid for by taxpayers to attend the Association of County Commissioners meeting. The JIC claims that King provided the anonymous letter and documents, including proceedings from Blount and Etowah County court pleadings and recordings, to an attorney who practices in Blount County at a Pinson fast food restaurant. The attorney then mailed the packages out to 18 news outlets. The letter is not signed, and there is nothing in the documents confirming that the package came from Judge King. Locust Fork native and journalist Christopher Peeks spoke with Alabama Today about the situation. “It looks like Judge King enacted a scorched Earth policy,” Peek said. “He is not just trying to drain the swamp; he’s trying to blow the whole thing up.” The complaint makes clear that, according to the JIC, King’s alleged role in gathering the evidence against Commissioner Calvert, the other commissioner, and the officer, is a violation of the Alabama Judicial Code of ethics and thus grounds King’s removal from the bench. King is suspended following the JIC ruling and was already planning to leave the bench next month after 15 years of service on the court. Baldwin County Attorney Harry Still, a 2022 Republican primary candidate for Alabama Attorney General, talked with Alabama Today about the case. “I have a case before Judge King’s court, so was not going to comment on this complaint, but will since King has left the case,” Still said. “After reading this complaint, I admire Judge King and am shocked and appalled that this honorable jurist has been crucified and forced off the bench because he tried to do the right thing.” “It is crazy that the whistleblower judge is the one who is shamed and the one who loses his office here,” Still said. “I don’t know what the Judicial Inquiry Commission is doing here but playing politics.” Still is a contributor to a podcast that comments on state and Baldwin County political issues, among other topics. Tuscaloosa Attorney Luisa Reyes disagreed. “It is unfortunate that the events have transpired as they have,” Reyes told Alabama Today. “However, to maintain the integrity of the judicial system, a judge has to avoid impropriety and the appearance of impropriety. And it appears that in this instance, the judge acted more as a skilled attorney than in the aloof manner befitting his position.” The JIC complaint made no claims about the content of the merits of King’s claims of political corruption in Blount County. There is already an online petition circulating demanding that Calvert resign over recordings that appear to show him making racial slurs. To connect with the author of this story, or to comment, email brandonmreporter@gmail.com.
