Trump's Religious Freedom Order 'Took America Backward': Fulton Chairman Eaves

ATLANTA, GA -- President Donald Trump's Executive Order on religious freedom is being rebuked by one Atlanta politician. Fulton County Chairman John Eaves said that the measure, which instantly turns religious organizations into political bodies, "took America backward."

"President Trump’s signing of an executive order to protect so-called religious freedom legalizes discrimination. Make no mistake; this is a civil rights issue. It is a moral issue," Eaves said in a statement Thursday.

At a Rose Garden news conference surrounded by religious leaders and White House staff, Trump framed the order as a way to restore religious groups' freedom of speech, saying that, "We are giving our churches their voices back."

President Trump Signs 'Religious Freedom' Order Targeting Contraception Mandate

"Faith is deeply embedded into the history of our country, the spirit of our founding and the soul of our nation," Trump said as the country commemorated the National Day of Prayer. "We will not allow people of faith to be targeted, bullied or silenced anymore."

Under President Lyndon B. Johnson in the 1960s, the government banned tax-exempt organizations such as churches from political activities. The "Johnson Amendment" as it is called xxx. His executive order, officially called "Promoting Free Speech and Religious Liberty,"removes IRS enforcement of the original measure and exempts companies from adhering to an Obamacare rule that mandated that contraception be covered by health care insurance.

While the order has received much fanfare, Congressional action would still be required to change the law. Further, the administration has not released how it expects respective agencies to enforce the executive order. (For more information on this and other political stories, subscribe to the White House Patch for daily newsletters and breaking news alerts.)

Eaves, an Atlanta mayoral candidate, said that the executive order will face stiff resistance in the Southeast's largest city.

We in Atlanta, the cradle of the civil rights movement will not stand for this. We will fight it at every turn. We will fight it in the streets, we will fight it in the courts, and of course, we will fight it at the ballot box," he said.

"I have devoted my life to this fight; to protecting civil liberties; from my work at the Peace Corps to establishing the Interfaith Council in Fulton County."

Image via Fulton County government