Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Law Firm Faces Charges for Defending Women's Homeless Shelter
Patriotpost.us ^ | 7-7-2018 | Todd Starnes

Posted on 07/10/2018 10:37:45 AM PDT by servo1969

An Alaska law firm has been accused of violating a city's nondiscrimination ordinance after it provided legal representation to a Christian women's shelter accused of violating the same ordinance.

The Anchorage Equal Rights Commission filed a formal complaint against Brena, Bell & Clarkson, charging the law firm with committing "unlawful discriminatory acts or practices" in violation of a city ordinance regarding sex and gender identity.

Its alleged crime is punishable by fines and possible jail time.

In early 2018, Kevin Clarkson was asked to represent the Downtown Hope Center, a faith-based nonprofit that provides free shelter for homeless women and abused women.

In February the shelter turned away a biological male who identifies as a female. Shelter leadership said the individual was intoxicated.

However, as a religious organization, it does not house biological men in its abused-women's shelter because doing so would traumatize abused and battered women.

The transgender person filed a complaint against the shelter citing the policy over sexual orientation and gender identity.

It was in the context of that incident that Clarkson made comments to local news media regarding the case. And that's why he's now facing charges.

The law firm is being represented by First Liberty Institute, one of the nation's top legal groups specializing in religious liberty cases.

"It's the most outrageous case I've ever seen," First Liberty's Hiram Sasser told the "Todd Starnes Radio Show." "Because he wrote a brief to the commission defending the shelter and portions of that brief were quoted in the media -- he is accused of being in violation of their provision that prohibits you from talking about a policy."

It raises serious questions about whether American citizens or organizations that are accused of violating sex and gender laws are eligible to receive legal assistance.

"You should be able to have legal counsel and that legal counsel should be able to represent you in court," Sasser told me. "In Alaska they don't see it that way."

First Liberty said the Anchorage Equal Rights Commission is charging its client simply for representing its client.

"This has a tremendous chilling effect on any lawyer who would represent a homeless woman's shelter," Sasser said. "To go after the lawyer -- that sends a message to all the other lawyers: Don't take on these cases or we will come for you too. That's extremely scary."

Every American citizen should have their day in court. To deny someone legal representation because you don't like his or her religious viewpoints is unthinkable.

Under the city's ordinance it's not out of the realm of possibility that even First Liberty Institute could face charges simply for representing the local attorney.

"We are fully prepared if they charge us," Sasser said.

Pamela Basler, the executive director of the Anchorage Equal Rights Commission, did not return calls seeking comment.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; News/Current Events; US: Alaska
KEYWORDS: anchorage; religion; transgender
They want it to be illegal for your lawyer to talk about your charges?
1 posted on 07/10/2018 10:37:45 AM PDT by servo1969
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: servo1969

Yeah, I want male vagrants in homeless shelters for women. What could go wrong?


2 posted on 07/10/2018 10:39:29 AM PDT by reaganaut1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: servo1969

The Anchorage Equal Rights Commission deserves the same equal rights as any other anti-American terrorist organization.


3 posted on 07/10/2018 10:43:17 AM PDT by MeganC (There is nothing feminine about feminism.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: servo1969

They want religion othat than Islam to be illegal.


4 posted on 07/10/2018 10:46:21 AM PDT by MrEdd (Caveat Emptor)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: servo1969

Time to redistribute the population onto next spring’s ice floes.


5 posted on 07/10/2018 10:47:08 AM PDT by ptsal ( Get your facts first, then you can distort them as you please. - M. Twain)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: servo1969
"You should be able to have legal counsel and that legal counsel should be able to represent you in court."

Pretty basic stuff, in Anglo-American jurisprudence.

6 posted on 07/10/2018 10:47:50 AM PDT by BenLurkin (The above is not a statement of fact. It is either satire or opinion. Or both.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: servo1969

Wow! This should someday go up to the SCOTUS. Problem is, it takes years to work though the court system. The costs are prohibitive for most individuals and organizations. Justice delayed is often genuinely denied. But again, wow that we have sunk so low as a country that some dude claiming to “identify” as a woman should be able to insinuate himself among homeless and/or abused women. Why should his totally phony rights as a make believe woman supercede the rights of the real women and the shelter serving them?


7 posted on 07/10/2018 10:53:34 AM PDT by Avalon Memories ( Proud Deplorable. Proud born-in-the-USA American Dreamer.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: servo1969

It’s like on college campuses today, objecting to a Title IX charge is itself a violation of Title IX.


8 posted on 07/10/2018 11:13:20 AM PDT by Thurifer the Censer (If you can see the altar, there's not enough smoke)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: servo1969

Time to file an anti-SLAPP against the city for punitive damages.


9 posted on 07/10/2018 11:16:10 AM PDT by kaehurowing
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: servo1969

They’ll try to remove the right to council for those accused of violating their phony laws next time they have power.

They’ve already tipped their hand on the secret ballot; they tried to get rid of that in Obama’s first term, and they’ll try again next chance they get.


10 posted on 07/10/2018 11:32:37 AM PDT by Steely Tom ([Seth Rich] == [the Democrat's John Dean])
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Avalon Memories
Why should his totally phony rights as a make believe woman supercede the rights of the real women and the shelter serving them?

Turn reality upside down, and you can turn the rule of law against the people it was intended to protect.

Turn the rule of law upside down, and the Constitution becomes a weapon, not a shield.

11 posted on 07/10/2018 11:35:13 AM PDT by Steely Tom ([Seth Rich] == [the Democrat's John Dean])
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: servo1969

Sure reads that way ... obvious first amendment violations with this...among other issues.


12 posted on 07/10/2018 11:37:23 AM PDT by reed13k
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: servo1969

Moral of the story:

When faced with an LGBT conundrum as the shelter did, you have two choices:

1) Accede to their demands.
2) Kill them on the spot.


13 posted on 07/10/2018 12:58:13 PM PDT by fruser1
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: servo1969

I think even liberal lawyers will be concerned about the state limiting their ability to serve clients.


14 posted on 07/10/2018 1:38:07 PM PDT by tbw2
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson