New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms

New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms
Founded 1982
Type 501(c)(4) non-profit
Focus Christian conservative political advocacy
Location
Area served
 New York
Key people
 Rev. Jason J. McGuire (Executive Director)
Rev. Duane R. Motley (Senior Lobbyist)
Website http://www.nycf.info

New Yorkers for Constitutional Freedoms is a non-profit Christian conservative political advocacy group in the State of New York. NYCF "exists to influence legislation and legislators for the Lord Jesus Christ."[1] It was founded in 1982 by "a small group of pastors were concerned about religious liberties and moral values in New York State."[1] As of January 2012, Rev. Jason J. McGuire is the organization's Executive Director. NYCF's educational arm, New Yorker's Family Research Foundation, was formed in 1990.[2]

NYCF was active in opposition to same-sex marriage in New York, which was legalized by the Marriage Equality Act in 2011. After the Act was passed, NYCF set up a "Courage Fund" to "assist courageous municipal clerks and other people of conscience in New York State who oppose same-sex 'marriage' from harassment, denial of rightful promotion, or unfair termination for invoking New York State law protecting their sincerely-held religious beliefs."[3] After Barker town clerk Laura Fotusky resigned rather than be forced to sign same-sex marriage licenses, NYCF pledged to match the $25,000 salary she gave up in resigning.[3]

On July 25, 2011, NYCF filed a lawsuit against the New York Senate in the New York Supreme Court seeking an injunction against the law which had taken effect a day earlier, alleging violations of the law in the process by which the bill was passed.[4] Rev. McGuire, Rev. Duane Motley (NYCF's senior lobbyist), and Rabbi Nathaniel Leiter (Executive Director of the Orthodox Jewish organization Torah Jews for Decency) were named as plaintiffs in the lawsuit.[5] On November 18, 2011, Acting Supreme Court Justice Robert B. Wiggins allowed the plaintiffs' claims under the Open Meetings Law, but dismissed other portions of the case.[6] On July 6, 2012, a five-judge panel of the Appellate Division ruled unanimously that no violation of the Open Meetings Law had occurred and dismissed the suit.[7] The New York Court of Appeals, the state's highest court, declined to hear an appeal in the case on October 23, 2012.[8]

See also

Conservatism portal

References

  1. 1 2 NYCF - Mission
  2. ↑
  3. 1 2 Cuomo: Clerks Against Same-Sex Marriage "Don't Get to Pick and Choose"
  4. ↑ Lawsuit filed over New York same-sex marriage law
  5. ↑ Lawsuit
  6. ↑ Kaplan, Thomas (November 29, 2011). "Judge Says Lawsuit Against Gay Marriage Law in New York May Proceed". The New York Times.
  7. ↑ Washington Post: NY appeals court rules open meeting law not broken in passage of sex marriage law," July 6, 2012, accessed July 6, 2012
  8. ↑ Lovett, Ken (October 23, 2012). "Court of Appeals refuses to hear gay marriage appeal". Metro Weekly. Retrieved October 23, 2012.

External links

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