Yesterday, the Federal Election Commission (FEC) launched its new database to keep dossiers on religious people who request any exemptions. But it doesn’t stop there.

I’ll explain below how this means a pastor, priest or rabbi can have their details included in this federal database for providing spiritual guidance to one or more people who “participate in FEC programs or activities” and request an exemption.

This has got to stop! We need your help to block these lists. There is a bill in Congress and an open comment period to block these databases. It’s urgent to make your voice heard now. Send your faxes to as many of our options as possible demanding they block these databases. —Mat

The FEC is one of 55 agencies across our federal government that is launching a new database tracking religious employees and those who request exemptions.

Just yesterday, the FEC started creating entire dossiers on religious individuals. To this end, this federal department will be gathering and recording all of the following on each person:

“Forms, correspondence, records of oral conversations, and supporting notes and documentation associated with an informal dispute resolution or appeal processes … ”

Shockingly, the FEC plans to keep in people’s files “Information [that] is obtained … directly or indirectly from an individual's religious or spiritual advisors or institutions.”

This means if a member of the clergy writes a letter vouching and/or supporting the sincere religious belief of an employee or a participant in one of FEC's activities, that letter will be permanently stored in this government database. Or if a visitor to the FEC mentions in passing what church they attend, this information can become a part of the agency’s electronic files.

We need to stop this immediately. There is a bill in Congress, and a few comment periods are still open. We have a small window to block these invasive databases. Send a clear message to Congress and these departments with your urgent faxes demanding they stop these databases.

What is meant by “Information [that] is obtained directly or indirectly from an individual's religious or spiritual advisors or institutions”? (emphasis added)

This obviously covers a letter written by the clergy or the publicly stated doctrine of the religious organization. But could it also include an FEC investigator visiting a religious service or interviewing members of the religious body? Does this include sermons, messages and writings of the clergy or religious group?

If a federal agent believes there is any “potential violation of law,” the agent may share that with any "federal, state, local, foreign, or tribal” governments so the individuals can be prosecuted.

This new rule allows for the permanent storage in the National Archives of whatever information is gathered about the individual and religious activities.

This sounds like something straight out of Mao’s Communist China or Stalin’s USSR, but I assure you that as of yesterday, this is happening right here in America.

We cannot allow these databases to exist. The language in these new rules is an incredible invasion of our privacy. We must fight back. Tell Congress and these federal departments and agencies to erase the databases.

The FEC announced this rule change—just 72 hours after Christmas. This was intentionally released the most popular week for Americans to take a vacation. It was exactly at this moment that the FEC tried to slip this through undetected.

If the FEC was trying to bury it, it worked. On the government’s official page, regulations.gov, it had less than 100 page views even after the comment period closed.

Most people have no idea the plans radicals in our government have for us. It is critical that those of us who do know stop these databases.

The list of federal branches creating these databases is extensive. But more importantly, there are people in Congress who recognize this threat, and they are fighting against it.

Additional members of Congress have recently co-sponsored the “Religious Freedom Over Mandates Act” (HR 6502) but we need a much higher number of legislators to pass this bill.

Congress has the authority to end these databases. Send your faxes right away. These departments and members of Congress must act now.

We are being recognized by members of Congress for our groundbreaking research regarding these agencies on Capitol Hill. Our efforts are helping expose these rules and raise additional voices to fight them. I appreciate your prayers as we fight this threat to freedom.

Your support is invaluable. Give today through our Challenge Grant that will DOUBLE the impact through your monthly recurring gift or one-time donation.

Mat Staver, Chairman
Liberty Counsel Action

P.S. You can also sign our petition to these leaders to be delivered at critical moments in this fight against a "religious" database.

Sources:

“Privacy Act of 1974; System of Records.” Federal Register: Federal Election Commission. December 28, 2021. Federalregister.gov/documents/2021/12/28/2021-28222/privacy-act-of-1974-new-system-of-records.

Norman, Ralph. 2022. “H.R.6502 - 117th Congress (2021-2022): Religious Freedom over Mandates Act.” Www.congress.gov. January 25, 2022. Congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/6502.

“Will Christians Be Singled Out?” Liberty Counsel. January 13, 2022. LC.org/full-article/0113will-christians-be-singled-out.