A Utah Senator cautions the U.S. of a new, dangerous threat: the emerging hostility and discrimination toward Christian Americans among lawmakers and the federal government.
BREAKING: Sen. Mike Lee (R-UT) has expressed concern over what he describes as increasing hostility toward Christianity among federal lawmakers. He asserts that this sentiment has led to unparalleled levels of discrimination against Christians in U.S. history.
Earlier this week, Lee was featured on a two-hour interview with conservative personality Tucker Carlson on the Tucker Carlson Network. During the interview, he revealed a startling truth: he has observed a rise in antagonism toward Christianity among officeholders.
“I think there is increased hostility toward Christianity, toward organized religion in general in Washington,” said Lee, a Mormon.
Although Lee acknowledged that the Senate maintains a “pretty healthy culture” of religious tolerance among colleagues, he has witnessed what he considers unconstitutional “religious tests” for judicial nominees during the Trump administration.
“I’ve started seeing a couple of things that are disturbing that I never thought I would see, just in the last few years,” said Lee.
Lee recalled instances from the Trump administration when some Democratic senators questioned nominees’ religious beliefs. He cited late Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA), who expressed concerns during Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s 2017 confirmation hearing for the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.
Feinstein suggested Barrett’s Roman Catholic faith might affect her impartiality, asking, “I’m not comfortable with this nominee because I fear that the dogma lives loudly within her.”
Lee described Feinstein’s remarks as unsettling.
Further, the senator recalled confronting Sen. Mazie Hirono (D-HI) in 2019 after she questioned then-D.C. Circuit Court nominee Neomi Rao about her views on gay relationships.
“I felt the need to weigh in at that meeting because sometimes we need to do that in order to set the record and to give the member an opportunity to pare it back,” Lee said. Hirono, he noted, did not apologize for her questioning.
Carlson, critical of Hirono’s intelligence, commented about whether such figures are self-aware of their perceived fanaticism.
Lee noted that hostility toward Christians seeking government positions is historically unusual for the U.S., a nation with a deeply rooted Christian heritage.
“That’s historically aberrational. That’s extreme,” Lee said. “Culturally also, throughout most of our history, we have been a religious nation. We are still a religious nation.”
Carlson questioned why discrimination against Christians is tolerated, compared to how opposition to a nominee based on Jewish faith would be unacceptable.
Lee suggested that media bias might be a factor, stating, “I really don’t know, other than that the media won’t go after you.”
Carlson responded, “Because they share the view.”
Additionally, Lee shared his observations on President Joe Biden’s declining mental acuity, recounting instances where Biden failed to recognize Lee’s wife despite previous encounters. He described instances where the president appeared too disoriented to handle a phone call.
