Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris has come under fire from a number of faith-based groups for her well-known record of “anti-Catholic bigotry.”
“Kamala Harris has a history of anti-Catholic bigotry,” wrote CatholicVote President Brian Burch on X, and “ believes that all faithful Catholics should be disqualified from serving as federal judges.”
As a congresswoman on the Senate Judiciary Committee, Harris notoriously grilled U.S. District Court nominee Brian C. Buescher in 2018 regarding his membership in the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic charitable organization, suggesting that this affiliation might disqualify him for judgeship.
Harris asked Buescher whether he was aware that the Knights of Columbus held “extreme positions” on life and marriage, such as opposition to “a woman’s right to choose” and “marriage equality” when he joined the organization, two positions that characterize not only the Knights but the Catholic Church itself.
Many commented at the time that the questions smelled oddly of an unconstitutional religious litmus test, since the positions under examination are reflect core Catholic teachings and not “extreme positions.”
At the time, a spokesperson for the Knights of Columbus, Kathleen Blomquist, denounced the anti-Catholic bias implicit in Harris’ questions.
“The Biden-Harris administration disrespects our values and has abused our community… They even used the FBI to go after traditional Catholics as if we were terrorists.” pic.twitter.com/WRZsMo6NoI
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“Our country’s sad history of anti-Catholic bigotry contributed to the founding of the Knights of Columbus, and we are proud of the many Catholics who overcame this hurdle to contribute so greatly to our country,” Blomquist said.
“We were extremely disappointed to see that one’s commitment to Catholic principles through membership in the Knights of Columbus — a charitable organization that adheres to and promotes Catholic teachings — would be viewed as a disqualifier from public service in this day and age,” she added.
Kenneth Craycraft, professor of moral theology at Mount St. Mary’s Seminary, warned that Kamala Harris “would be the greatest threat to the free exercise of religion than any president in American history, with no close rival.”
“Kamala Harris has not hidden her intention to institute policies against the Catholic Church, and against individuals, organizations, and institutions whose beliefs, positions, and policies are consistent with the moral theology of the Church,” Craycraft wrote.
For his part, Catholic League president Bill Donohue chronicled Harris’ unbroken string of actions targeting religious believers and Catholics in particular, especially regarding abortion and LGBTQI issues.
Among her more egregious moves, Harris co-sponsored “the most anti-religious liberty bill ever introduced, the Equality Act,” Donohue wrote.
She also voted against the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act, a bill that would “prohibit a health care practitioner from failing to exercise the proper degree of care in the case of a child who survives an abortion or attempted abortion,” he observed.
“Since the day she stepped into public life, Kamala Harris has epitomized gross incompetence, corruption and shameless bigotry that have become the mark of hard-left politicians,” Brian Burch noted. “She has specifically targeted people of faith and pro-life citizens for their beliefs and defense of the most defenseless in our society.”
“Not only has Harris characterized Catholic Church teachings as ‘extreme’ and disqualifying for the federal judiciary, but she has also helped lead an administration that sought to weaponize the government against their political opponents,” he added.
