BREAKING: Security Supervisor at National Archives REMOVED Amid ACLJ Lawsuit Over Kicking Out Christians for Their Pro-Life Views
In breaking news, a security supervisor at the National Archives has been removed amid our lawsuit for targeting and kicking out pro-life students, grandparents, and others.
We’ve filed a series of lawsuits against the federal government for violating our clients’ First Amendment rights by forcing them to remove their pro-life attire prior to entering government buildings and threatening to kick others out if they did not comply on the same day the March for Life occurred.
According to a statement released by the National Archives yesterday – issued in response to a bicameral letter penned by Rep. Chip Roy, Sen. Ted Cruz, and other Members of Congress demanding answers regarding the events – it has removed a security officer responsible for telling visitors to remove their pro-life clothing and apparel. The National Archives’ stated that this security supervisor “provided instructions to other security officers” as well.
This action is right on the heels of our win last week, where the Archives agreed – just days after we filed suit against it for violations of the First Amendment and Religious Freedoms Restoration Act (RFRA) – to a preliminary injunction preventing them from engaging in further violations and allowing our clients to visit the museum in the future without fear of exercising their freedom of speech and religion.
As you know from following our fight against the Deep State bureaucratic agencies, it is nearly impossible to remove corrupt officials from power. We got it done.
As the National Archives stated:
The security officers involved in the January 20, 2023, incident are private contractors on a NARA contract. Our vendor conducted its own investigation of the incident and determined a supervisor that it employed, who was working that day, provided instructions to other security officers who work for the same vendor that were contrary to our policy. The vendor has removed this supervisor from NARA’s contract, and that individual is no longer working in any NARA facility.
While this is a major victory, we warned you that there may be a quick scapegoat in an attempt to deflect attention. We are concerned by the National Archives’ claim that this was an issue related to a single contract security guard. We believe there is more. Remember, we have lawsuits against two distinct federal entities who did the exact same thing on the exact same day – the day of the March for Life. This is no coincidence, and we are committed to continuing to fight our lawsuits until we can ensure that this can NEVER happen again.
Members of Congress have joined our efforts, sending letters to both the National Archives and the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum demanding answers.
In Congress’ letter to the National Archives, Sen. Cruz demanded answers to specific questions relating to the January 20 incident including: (1) What disciplinary action has been taken regarding the incident; (2) Whether the National Archives has any policy prohibiting pro-life sentiments inside the museum; and (3) What efforts have been taken to ensure that the First Amendment rights are respected and that a similar incident never occurs again.
As Sen. Cruz pointedly noted:
The National Archives is a public institution dedicated to preserving and sharing our nation’s common heritage and open to all Americans regardless of their political beliefs. Moreover, the National Archives received almost $500 million in federal funds last year. We are deeply concerned about this unjust harassment of young Americans at the home of the Declaration of Independence, Constitution, and Bill of Rights.
In a letter from Congress to the Smithsonian on February 6, 2023 – spurred by facts the ACLJ brought to light on behalf of clients who experienced the targeting themselves while visiting the National Air and Space Museum on January 20, 2023 – Rep. Chip Roy and Sen. Ted Cruz, along with other Members of Congress, demanded to know whether the Smithsonian (which receives more than $1 billion in federal funding) had conducted an investigation into the events that had taken place, whether efforts had been taken to ensure similar events would not occur again, as well as a list of the names of Smithsonian employees who engaged in the illegal conduct and the disciplinary action taken by the Smithsonian. The Smithsonian has refused, however, to answer some of these questions.
While the Archives has now provided answers to Congress’ questions and Acting Archivist for the Museum, Debra Steidel Wall, has acknowledged the disgusting irony that these events “happened just steps away from the permanent display of the original Bill of Rights,” questions remain and the National Archives has more work to do. Notably, and as we allege in our lawsuit, several guards participated in the unconstitutional actions taken against our pro-life clients and no other guards or National Archives personnel intervened to stop it. Once more, the same instructions to remove pro-life clothing and attire were also given by Museum gift shop employees. The fact that similar events occurred on the same day at the Smithsonian also begs the question: Did these instructions come from higher up? Is a single security guard really to blame for these events?
The ACLJ won’t stop until we get answers to all of our questions and ensure federal buildings and museums are open to ALL Americans.