Lawsuit accuses agriculture secretary of 'religious coercion' in staff emails
abcnews.com • • nation
Key Points:
- A federal lawsuit filed in California accuses Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins of proselytizing federal employees by frequently referencing Jesus Christ in work emails, allegedly violating the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment.
- The National Federation of Federal Employees and seven USDA employees claim Rollins' emails, which only acknowledge Christian holidays, impose religious beliefs on employees and create a coercive work environment.
- The lawsuit details emails from Rollins that credit God during Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter, arguing this constitutes government-sponsored religious coercion and favoritism.
- Plaintiffs report feeling unwelcome, excluded, and coerced, with some fearing retaliation if they object to the religious messages or request removal from email lists.
- The USDA declined detailed comment due to pending litigation but stated they will keep the plaintiffs in their prayers.