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Rep. Lamborn Asks Justice Dept. to Investigate Colorado Civil Rights Commission

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US Rep. Doug Lamborn (R-CO) on Thursday urged the US Department of Justice to investigate the Colorado Civil Rights Commission for unjustly targeting Masterpiece Cakeshop owner Jack Phillips.

Lamborn wrote in his letter to Attorney General Jeff Sessions that the Colorado Civil Rights Commission is targeting the Christian baker "because its officials despise what he believes and how he practices his faith."

"Mr. Phillips and other creative professionals should not be targeted by the government for living consistently with their deeply held beliefs just because an agency director or the government doesn't like those beliefs," he added

Phillips first came under fire for refusing to bake a customized wedding cake for a same-sex couple. The US Supreme Court ruled this summer on his behalf, criticizing the Colorado Civil Rights Commission's treatment of Phillips which they said "showed elements of a clear and impermissible hostility toward the sincere religious beliefs motivating his objection."

Now, the commission has attacked Phillips a second time. The baker filed a federal lawsuit after the state civil rights division determined in June that he discriminated against a transgender customer who wanted a custom cake to celebrate their transition.

Lamborn believes his states' civil rights commission is "incapable of being fair and impartial to the people who are before them."

"The Department of Justice cannot continue to allow a biased arbiter, who holds a near monopoly on anti-discrimination cases within the state, to continue to wage a personal campaign against individuals they disagree with," he wrote.

The Centennial Institute at Colorado Christian University today applauded Lamborn's call for an investigation.

"Jack Phillips is once again under attack for his faith. In light of the overwhelming Supreme Court decision, this second case should never have been allowed to proceed against Jack Phillips," said Jeff Hunt, Director of the Centennial Institute. "We commend Congressman Lamborn in calling for the Department of Justice to investigate the Colorado Civil Rights Commission. Coloradans of all faiths should enjoy religious freedoms protected by the U.S. Constitution without undue government interference."

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About The Author

Emily
Jones

Emily Jones is a multi-media journalist for CBN News in Jerusalem. Before she moved to the Middle East in 2019, she spent years regularly traveling to the region to study the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, meet with government officials, and raise awareness about Christian persecution. During her college years, Emily served as president of Regent University's Christians United for Israel chapter and spoke alongside world leaders at numerous conferences and events. She is an active member of the Philos Project, an organization that seeks to promote positive Christian engagement with the Middle