HUD and Dr. Ben Carson Sued Over Bible Study

The Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF) is suing Secretary Dr. Ben Carson and HUD for dodging records requests related to a White House Bible study. Since taking office, the Trump administration has been holding weekly Bible study sessions at the White House, with figures such asVP Mike Pence leading certain studies. FFRF, a state/church watchdog group, collaborated with Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, a government watchdog group, on the federal suit. The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia, alleges HUD has a pattern and practice of denying fee waivers on Freedom of Information Act requests “where disclosure of the requested documents is likely to cast the agency or HUD Secretary Ben Carson in a negative light.” FRFF wants records to determine whether the Bible study uses government resources and whether staffers feel coerced into organizing or participating in the religious event. FFRF also wants the records to ascertain government access granted to Capitol Ministries, a group that seeks to evangelize elected officials. More here.