Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey has called on Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas to provide all documents, records, and communications linked to his office’s X (formerly Twitter) post. This demand comes in response to the post which was seen as retaliatory against Kansas City Chief’s kicker Harrison Butker for comments he made during a commencement speech at Benedictine College where he openly discussed his Catholic faith.
“Missourians of faith deserve to know why Kansas City officials decided to attack Mr. Butker for his deeply held religious beliefs,” stated Attorney General Bailey. “My office will not tolerate religious discrimination from City officials. I will enforce the Missouri Human Rights Act to ensure Missourians are not targeted for their free exercise of religion. The mayor needs to immediately turn over his office’s communications relating to this post.”
In his letter, Attorney General Bailey emphasized, “Our nation is founded on a bedrock commitment to the free exercise of religion. In addition, Missouri law specifically prohibits faith-based discrimination against Missouri residents. Yet, your office apparently believes it is appropriate to denigrate a devout Catholic for comments he made about his own faith at a religious college.”
Bailey further noted that the Missouri Human Rights Act forbids government actors from discriminating against citizens due to their sincerely held religious beliefs. He warned any employer or government official considering such an action that he stands ready to use the authority provided in statute to defend the principle of free religious expression.
“Missourians deserve better from our elected leaders. Mr. Butker was well within his rights to discuss his religious views—views which are shared by millions of members of his faith tradition. Sadly, history is filled with examples of people of religious faith being targeted for their beliefs by government officials,” concluded Bailey.
The letter addressed to Mayor Lucas can be read here.
