DOJ sues Wash. over law mandating priests to report child abuse
June 23 (UPI) -- The Trump administration filed a lawsuit Monday in support of a challenge to a new Washington State law mandating clergy to report child abuse, describing the rule as "anti-Catholic" and a violation of the Constitution.
Washington Gov. Bob Ferguson, a Catholic, signed Senate Bill 5375 into law early last month. The new law, which goes into effect July 27, adds clergy members -- including priests, ministers, rabbi and imam, among others -- to the list of people required to report child abuse or neglect to the state or law enforcement under threat of being charged with a gross misdemeanor offense.
The law has received pushback from local Catholics, who have characterized it as forcing them to break the sacred seal of confession in order to avoid prison.
In the Justice Department's lawsuit, federal prosecutors argue the new law puts Catholic priests at odds with the core tenets and beliefs of their religion and violates their First Amendment right to the freedom of religion "by forcing them to violate the sanctity and confidentiality of confessional communications.
"No other mandatory reporter is required to forego his or her fundamental rights under the Constitution in this manner," the lawsuit states, while adding that the law will have a "chilling effect" on thousands of Catholic priests and parishioners who may be uncertain about whether adhering to the sacrament of penance will open them to criminal penalties, child welfare investigations, civil liability or excommunication.
"Laws that explicitly target religious practices such as the Sacrament of Confession in the Catholic Church have no place in our society," Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon of the Justice Department's Civil Rights division said in a statement.
"Senate Bill 5375 unconstitutionally forces Catholic priests in Washington to choose between their obligations to the Catholic Church and their penitents or face criminal consequences, while treating the priest-penitent privilege differently than other well-settled privileges."
The lawsuit is an intervention in a complaint filed early this month by Washington State Catholic bishops, who argue it discriminates against them as attorneys are exempt from inclusion as mandatory reporters.
"Washington State has no business intruding into the confessional -- particularly when they give a free pass to lawyers who have legally protected confidential relationships with clients," Mark Rienzi, president and CEO of Becket, a non-profit public interest religious liberty group that is representing the bishops, said in a statement.
"Punishing priests for following the Catholic Church's millennia-old faith traditions isn't just wrong, it's unconstitutional."
The governor told KUOW in a statement that he wasn't surprised by the Department of Justice's intervention.
"It's disappointing, but not surprising, to see the DOJ seek to shield and protect child abusers."
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The Hill
12 minutes ago
- The Hill
Israel and Iran accept ceasefire
BEERSHEBA, Israel (AP) — Israel and Iran on Tuesday accepted a ceasefire plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump to end their 12-day war that roiled the Middle East, after Tehran launched a retaliatory limited missile attack on a U.S. military base in Qatar. The acceptance of the deal by both sides came after Tehran launched a final onslaught of missiles targeting Israel that killed at least five people early Tuesday morning, while Israel launched a blitz of airstrikes targeting sites across Iran before dawn. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel had agreed to a bilateral ceasefire with Iran in coordination with Trump. Netanyahu said that he had reported to Israel's security cabinet Monday night that Israel had achieved all of its war goals in the 12-day operation against Iran, including removing the threat of Iran's nuclear and ballistic missile programs. Israel also damaged Iran's military leadership and several government sites and achieved control over Tehran's skies, Netanyahu said. 'Israel will respond forcefully to any violation of the ceasefire,' Netanyahu said. Heavy Israeli strikes continued in Iranian cities until shortly before 4 a.m., followed by Iranian barrages that sent Israelis hurrying into bomb shelters as the sun rose, killing at least five people and injuring eight others, Israel's Magen David Adom rescue services said. Writing over an hour after a deadline passed for Iran to halt its attacks, Trump wrote on Truth Social: 'THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT! DONALD J. TRUMP, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES!' Iranian state television reported that the ceasefire went into effect at 7:30 a.m., but Iranian officials have not commented since Trump's announcement. Hours earlier Iran's top diplomat said the country was prepared to halt airstrikes. 'As of now, there is NO 'agreement' on any ceasefire or cessation of military operations,' Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote in a post on X. 'However, provided that the Israeli regime stops its illegal aggression against the Iranian people no later than 4 am Tehran time, we have no intention to continue our response afterwards.' Araghchi added: 'The final decision on the cessation of our military operations will be made later.' Iran's barrage damaged at least three densely packed residential buildings in the city of Beersheba, police said. First responders said they retrieved five bodies from one building and were searching for more. At least 20 people were injured. Outside, the shells of burned out cars littered the streets. Broken glass and rubble covered the area. Hundreds of emergency workers gathered to search for anyone else trapped in the buildings. Police said some people were injured even while inside their apartments' reinforced safe rooms, which are meant to withstand rockets and shrapnel but not direct hits from ballistic missiles. The direct hit in the largest city in southern Israel came before Trump said the ceasefire had gone into effect. Trump's announcement that Israel and Iran had agreed to a 'complete and total ceasefire' came soon after Iran launched a limited missile attack Monday on a U.S. military base in Qatar, retaliating for the American bombing of its nuclear sites. The U.S. was warned by Iran in advance, and there were no casualties. Trump's announcement on Truth Social said the ceasefire beginning about midnight Washington time would bring an 'Official END' to the war. Trump gave the conflict between Israel and Iran a name: the '12 Day War.' That recalls the 1967 Mideast war, known by some as the 'Six Day War,' in which Israel fought a group of Arab countries including Egypt, Jordan and Syria. Trump's reference carries emotional weight for the Arab world, particularly Palestinians. In the 1967 war, Israel captured the West Bank and east Jerusalem from Jordan, the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula from Egypt, and the Golan Heights from Syria. Though Israel later gave the Sinai back to Egypt, it still holds the other territories. Trump communicated directly with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to secure the ceasefire, according to a senior White House official who insisted on anonymity to discuss the Monday talks. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff communicated with the Iranians through direct and indirect channels. The White House has maintained that the Saturday bombing helped get the Israelis to agree to the ceasefire and that the Qatari government helped to broker the deal. It's unclear what role Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iran's leader, played in the talks. He said earlier on social media that he would not surrender. Israel's Airports Authority said Iran's barrage forced them to close the country's airspace to emergency flights for several hours. Some flights were forced to circle over the Mediterranean Sea, according to Israeli media. Israel's airports have been closed since the war with Iran began, but a handful of emergency flights started arriving and departing over the past few days. By early Tuesday, Qatar Airways resumed its flights after Qatar shut down its airspace over the Iranian attack on Al Udeid Air Base. Flight-tracking data showed commercial aircraft again flying in Qatari airspace, signaling Doha believed the threat on the energy-rich nation had passed. In Israel, at least 29 people have been killed and more than 1,000 wounded in the war. Israeli strikes on Iran have killed at least 974 people and wounded 3,458 others, according to the Washington-based group Human Rights Activists. The group, which has provided detailed casualty figures from Iranian unrest such as the protests surrounding the death of Mahsa Amini in 2022, said of those killed, it identified 387 civilians and 268 security force personnel. The U.S. has evacuated some 250 American citizens and their immediate family members from Israel by government, military and charter flights that began over the weekend, a State Department official said. There are roughly 700,000 American citizens, most of them dual U.S.-Israeli citizens, believed to be in Israel. ___ Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates, and Lidman reported from Tel Aviv, Israel. Associated Press writers Josef Federman in Jerusalem, Qassim Abdul-Zahra in Baghdad, Abby Sewell in Beirut, Elise Morton in London, Geir Moulson in Berlin, Ella Joyner in Brussels, Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations and Stephanie Liechtenstein in Vienna contributed to this report.
Yahoo
23 minutes ago
- Yahoo
UK welcomes ceasefire in Israel Iran conflict as 'fragile situation' remains
The UK has welcomed news of a ceasefire between Iran and Israel, as both sides announced they had agreed to stop fighting. Israel's government confirmed on Tuesday morning it had agreed to the ceasefire plan, proposed by US President Donald Trump. Mr Trump first claimed an agreement had been reached overnight, but both Israel and Iran were initially silent. Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his nation had agreed to the bilateral ceasefire in co-ordination with Tehran. It followed a final onslaught of missiles targeting Israel early on Tuesday, which killed at least four people. Israel in turn launched a blitz of airstrikes targeting sites across Iran before dawn. Mr Netanyahu reasoned to his security cabinet that Israel had achieved all its goals in its 12-day war against Iran, including removing the threat of its nuclear programme. 'Israel will respond forcefully to any violation of the ceasefire,' the Israeli prime minister warned. Speaking on BBC Breakfast after news of Israel's agreement to the deal broke, Cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden said it was 'good news, if the ceasefire holds'. He also told the BBC: 'I welcome the Israeli statement. It's obviously a fragile situation in the Middle East. 'A number of people have been killed overnight in missile strikes, but I think the whole world will hope that the ceasefire will hold and that Iran will come forward with a credible plan that shows that it will not pursue the development of a nuclear weapon.'
Forbes
27 minutes ago
- Forbes
Trump Says Israel-Iran Ceasefire Is Now In Effect—Both Sides Confirm (Live)
June 24, 2:45 a.m. EDT Israel confirmed that it had agreed to a US-brokered ceasefire with Iran but warned that any violations by Tehran would draw a forceful response. According to the Times of Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office said 'Israel had achieved all of the objectives of Operation Rising Lion' and 'removed a dual immediate existential threat—both in the nuclear and ballistic missile fields.' The statement thanked Trump and the U.S. for their support and added: 'In light of the achievement of the operation's objectives, and in full coordination with President Trump, Israel has agreed to the president's proposal for a bilateral ceasefire.' June 24, 1:15 a.m. EDT In a post on his Truth social platform, Trump wrote: 'THE CEASEFIRE IS NOW IN EFFECT. PLEASE DO NOT VIOLATE IT!' The Israeli government has not made any official comment on a ceasefire yet. 12:15 a.m. EDT Despite Trump and the Iranian state media's announcements, the status of the ceasefire remained unclear as Israel reported a fresh barrage of missile strikes by Iran. The Israeli Defense Forces, who have not commented on the ceasefire as of yet, have issued at least three warnings of Iranian missile launches in the past few hours. June 23, 11:45 p.m. EDT Iranian state media announced that a ceasefire has been 'imposed' on Israel after Iran's 'successful missile attacks,' and the TV anchor claimed that Trump had 'pleaded' with Iran to do so. Annoucement then cited comments made by Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on X, who said: 'As of now, there is NO 'agreement' on any provided that the Israeli regime stops its illegal aggression against the Iranian people no later than 4 am Tehran time, we have no intention to continue our response afterwards.' 6:02 p.m. EDT In a post on Truth Social, Trump announced that Israel and Iran agreed to a 'Complete and Total CEASEFIRE' in the next 24 hours, after days of exchanging air and missile president offered no further details about what either side agreed to, but insisted both sides would 'remain PEACEFUL and RESPECTFUL.' 4 p.m. EDT Trump said 'hardly any damage was done,' while 13 of the missiles Iran fired were 'knocked down' and one was 'set free,' he wrote, making multiple inferences that there would be no escalation of the military conflict between Tehran and Washington, while also thanking Iran for 'giving us early notice' of the counterstrikes. Trump said Iran has 'gotten it all out of their 'system,' and there will, hopefully, be no further hate,' writing 'CONGRATULATIONS WORLD, IT'S TIME FOR PEACE!' in the series of posts. 2 p.m. Officials at the Department of Defense confirmed to multiple outlets that Al Udeid Air Force base was targeted by short and medium-range ballistic missiles, but no casualties have been reported from the attack. 1:30 p.m. EDT Bahrain, a neighboring monarchy in the Persian Gulf and the host of the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, closed its airspace Monday, The Bahraini Interior Ministry warned citizens to stay off main roads after air raid sirens sounded, according to statements from the government on X. 1:10 p.m. EDT In televised remarks, the Iranian government took credit for the attack, which it called 'a mighty and successful response' to the American strikes. Iran's Supreme National Security Council said the missile strike 'posed no danger to our friendly and brotherly nation of Qatar and its honorable people,' and the New York Times reported Iranian officials gave their Qatari counterparts advance notice. The Iranian government gave the warning in order to minimize casualties, the Times reported, citing anonymous Iranian officials. 12:48 p.m. EDT The missiles were fired toward Al Udeid Air Force Base near Doha, one of the largest U.S. air force bases in the Middle East. Majed Al-Ansari, a spokesperson for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, condemned the attack and said the nation's air defenses 'successfully thwarted the attack and intercepted the Iranian missiles.' The Ain al-Assad Air Force Base in Iraq was also targeted, the Associated Press reported, citing an Iraqi official, but the U.S. military has not confirmed this. However, missiles never arrived at base and the U.S. confirmed the base was never hit, the wire service later updated. Witnesses on social media posted videos of what appeared to be missiles streaking across the skies over Qatar. Axios first reported Iran fired six missiles toward the Gulf nation, citing an anonymous Israeli official. 11:30 a.m. EDT The Qatari Foreign Ministry said in a statement that airspace in Qatar would be temporarily closed to ensure the safety of residents and visitors, according to a translation by Reuters. The U.S. Embassy in Qatar issued an advisory earlier on Monday recommending American citizens to shelter in place until further notice 'out of an abundance of caution,' as Qatar is home to the Al-Udeid Air Bases, the largest U.S. base in the Middle East. 9:20 a.m. U.S. cities were on edge Monday morning, with Miami briefly shutting down its Metrorail after a 'suspicious package' was found at Stephen P. Clark Government Center in Miami, requiring the building and the surrounding area to be evacuated, the Miami-Dade Sheriff's Office told Forbes, while the Miami Herald reported a bomb squad was called. Miami-Dade Transit said service for the county's Metrorail and Metromover was 'temporarily suspended' because of 'unforeseen police activity,' though service resumed around 11:20 a.m. EDT. 7:30 a.m. EDT The Israeli military said it struck the routes leading up to Iran's underground Fordow nuclear facility—which was targeted by U.S. bunker busters—'in order to obstruct access' to the site. Earlier on Monday, Israel's defense ministry said it was carrying out strikes on several key targets in Tehran including Evin Prison—the notorious detention site where Iran holds prominent political dissidents including Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi. 6.30 a.m. EDT Russian President condemned the U.S. military's strike on Iran's nuclear facilities, calling it an 'absolutely unprovoked act of aggression against Iran; it has no basis or justification,' after meeting with Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Moscow. The latest remarks from Putin is a shift from the more muted initial response to the strikes on its ally by Moscow, as it remains entangled in its own conflict in Ukraine. 'For our part, we are making efforts to assist the Iranian people,' the Russian president added, although it is unclear what kind of support would Moscow be willing provide Iran. 5 a.m. EDT At an emergency meeting of the International Atomic Energy Agency's board of governors, the UN agency's chief Rafael Grossi said the US strikes likely caused 'very significant damage' to Iran's underground Fordow nuclear site. 'Given the explosive payload utilized, and the extreme vibration-sensitive nature of centrifuges, very significant damage is expected to have occurred,' Grossi said. Grossi said Iran told the IAEA that 'there was no increase off-site radiation levels' at any of the three plants struck by U.S. forces. 4 a.m. EDT Beijing has been as one of the more vocal critics of the U.S. strikes on Iran, with its foreign ministry saying the move 'seriously violates the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and international law, and escalates tensions in the Middle East.' China's ambassador to the UN, Fu Cong, told state media that 'Iran is harmed, but also harmed is U.S. credibility — as a country and as a party to any international negotiations.' Fu added: 'China is deeply concerned about the risk of the situation getting out of parties to the conflict, Israel in particular, should immediately cease fire to prevent a spiraling escalation and to resolutely avoid the spillover of the war.' 3 a.m. EDT Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi arrived in Moscow on Monday to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin and told reporters that his country has 'shared concerns, worries, and adversaries with Russia.' Speaking about the strikes Araghchi said, the U.S. and Israeli actions 'have serious consequences and create problems not only for Iran, but also for the region, for the international community, and for international law.' June 23, 2 a.m. EDT Iranian military officials warned that the U.S. strikes will be met with a 'decisive response,' as the country's army chief, Major General Amir Hatami, accused America of 'committing crimes' against the Iranian state. In a separate televised statement, an Iranian military spokesperson addressed the U.S. President directly and said: 'Gambler Trump, you can start this war, but we will be the ones who end it.' June 22, 11 p.m. EDT The U.S. Navy-led Joint Maritime Information Center issued an advisory on Sunday, warning that the U.S. strikes on Iran were a 'significant regional development, escalating concerns for the maritime industry operating in the Arabian Gulf and adjacent waters.' The center said 'the maritime threat level remains ELEVATED' and recent events create 'ongoing uncertainty in the maritime domain,' however, U.S.-associated vessels 'have successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz without interruption, which is a positive sign for the immediate future.' 10:30 p.m. EDT According to NBC News, Iran sent a message to Trump through an intermediary during last week's G7 summit, warning that it would activate sleeper-cells to carry out terror attacks inside the U.S. 10 p.m. EDT In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump claimed Iran's nuclear sites sustained 'Monumental Damage' from the U.S. strikes, citing satellite images. The president added: 'Obliteration is an accurate biggest damage took place far below ground level. Bullseye!!!' 9:30 p.m. EDT Earlier on Sunday, the president raised the prospect of regime change in Iran, despite other officials in his administration insisting that the U.S. was not seeking such a thing. In a post, Trump wrote 'It's not politically correct to use the term, 'Regime Change,' but if the current Iranian Regime is unable to MAKE IRAN GREAT AGAIN, why wouldn't there be a Regime change??? MIGA!!!' A short while later, Trump wrote that the B-2 bomber pilots who struck Iran 'have just landed, safely, in Missouri.' 12 p.m. EDT Iran launched about 40 missiles at targets in Israel, the Associated Press confirmed, injuring 23 people, while the Israeli Air Force struck targets in four cities across Iran, the Israel Defense Forces confirmed in a statement on X, dropping munitions on targets including command centers and missile strikes killed at least seven members of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps and two conscripts, The New York Times reported, citing Iranian state-affiliated media. 10 a.m. EDT Vice President JD Vance told 'Meet the Press' the U.S. was 'not at war with Iran, we're at war with Iran's nuclear program,' adding the U.S. has 'no interest in boots on the ground.' 'I certainly empathize with Americans who are exhausted after 25 years of foreign entanglements in the Middle East,' Vance said, adding 'I understand the concern, but the difference is that back then we had dumb presidents, and now we have a president that actually knows how to accomplish America's national security objectives,' taking an apparent swipe at former President George W. Bush, whom Trump has blasted for years over his handling of the invasion of Iraq. Vance also responded to criticism from members of Congress who condemned the administration for making the strike without seeking congressional approval, insisting that 'the idea that this was outside of presidential authority, I think any real, serious, legal person would tell you that's not true.' 8 a.m. EDT 'This mission was not, and has not been about regime change,' Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said at a press conference, calling the strike a 'precision operation.' Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine announced the mission's codename was 'Operation Midnight Hammer,' which involved strikes with massive ordnance penetrator bombs, Tomahawk missiles and a decoy operation. Caine said the military was unaware of any shots fired at the U.S. bombers on the way into Iran or on the way out after dropping their payloads. June 21, 10 p.m. EDT Trump addressed the nation in a brief speech from the White House, claiming that 'the strikes were a spectacular military success.' He warned Iran against retaliating, saying the U.S. was prepared to strike more targets should that happen. 'There will either be peace or there will be tragedy for Iran,' Trump said. June 21, 7:50 p.m. EDT Trump in a Truth Social post announced the U.S. struck the 'Fordow, Natanz, and Esfahan' nuclear sites in Iran, noting 'A full payload of BOMBS was dropped on the primary site, Fordow.' The strike was conducted by seven B2 Spirit bombers that took off from an Air Force base in Missouri overnight, Hegseth and Caine said Sunday. One of those bombers dropped two massive ordnance penetrators on a nuclear facility in Fordo at 2:10 a.m. local time, Caine said—the first of 14 bombs dropped across Iran. Additionally, a submarine launched more than two dozen Tomahawk cruise missiles at the nuclear facility in Esfahan around 5 p.m. EDT on Saturday, Caine said. Caine added the operation also involved launching more bombers to the Pacific as a decoy, which he called an 'effort known only to an extremely small number of planners and key leaders.' Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi called the U.S. operation an 'outrageous, grave, and unprecedented violation of the fundamental principles of the charter of the United Nations and international law.' Araghchi condemned Trump for what he called 'abusing our commitment to diplomacy' and 'deceiv[ing] his own voters' after campaigning to end 'forever wars' in the Middle East. The U.N. Security Council scheduled a 3 p.m. EDT emergency meeting at the behest of the Iranian government, the Associated Press reported Sunday morning. 'American deterrence is back,' Hegseth said. 'We will act swiftly and decisively when our people, our partners or our interests are threatened.' The escalation in the Middle East began on June 13 after Israel launched a surprise campaign of airstrikes at key Iranian nuclear facilities, initially killing at least 78 people. Iran responded by launching volleys of missiles at Israeli targets in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. The two adversaries continued to exchange strikes over the course of the week, but the U.S. initially stayed out of the conflict. On Thursday, Trump abruptly announced he would make a decision about joining Israel's war against the Middle Eastern nation within two weeks, urging Iran to make a deal. The U.S. and Iran had spent weeks attempting to negotiate a new nuclear deal in Oman, but the talks were suspended after the Israeli campaign began.
