Supreme Court Rules In Favor Of Hobby Lobby In Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores

Supreme Court: Closely Held Corporations Cannot Be Required To Provide Health Coverage That Includes Contraception. On July 30 the Supreme Court announced its decision in Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc, as ABC News reported:

Companies are not required to pay for employees' contraceptives for women if they have religious objections, the Supreme Court ruled today.

The justices' decision came in a 5-4 ruling in the much anticipated case.

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito wrote the majority opinion and Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote the main dissent

The court holds: “As applied to closely held corporations the HHS regulations imposing the contraceptive mandate violate RFRA”

Alito wrote that “RFRA applies to regulations that govern the activities of closely held for profit corporations like Conestoga and Hobby Lobby” and the “The HHS contraceptive mandate substantially burdens the exercise of religion.”

“The Government has failed to show that the contraceptive mandate is the least restrict means of furthering that interest,” according to the majority opinion. [ABC News, 6/30/14]

Right-Wing Media Celebrate With Mockery, Extreme Rhetoric, And Attacks On Obama

Rush Limbaugh: The Supreme Court “Defended Liberty.” Radio host Rush Limbaugh claimed the Supreme Court “defended liberty” with the Hobby Lobby decision:

LIMBAUGH: Despite what many on the left are saying today, despite what you're probably going to hear from a lot of people on the left, birth control is not what was banned by the Supreme Court. It's not what was on the docket, so to speak. In the Hobby Lobby case, narrow though it may be, the Supreme Court, by 5-4 majority decision, defended liberty. And it should be noted that even after this decision, birth control remains widely available. It is dirt cheap, no matter where you want to go get it. 

[Premiere Radio Networks, The Rush Limbaugh Show, 6/30/14] 

Erick Erickson: “My Religion Trumps Your 'Right' To Employer Subsidized Consequence Free Sex.” Following the Supreme Court decision, conservative radio host, Fox News contributor, and editor-in-chief of RedState.com Erick Erickson tweeted:

[Twitter, 6/30/14]

Erickson: Liberals, “Your Birth Control Isn't Your Boss's Business Now! Thanks Supreme Court!” Erickson also claimed:

Fox's Eric Bolling: Sandra Fluke “May Do Something Dumb” Because She Has To Pay For Her Own Birth Control. Fox News host Eric Bolling hailed the Supreme Court decision by attacking Sandra Fluke, a former Georgetown Law student who spoke out on the necessity of access to birth control for women's health:

[Twitter, 6/30/14]

Fox Business' Charles Payne: “The Body Blows To The Imperial Presidency Can Only Get Better.” Fox Business' Charles Payne called the Supreme Court decision a body blow “to the imperial presidency”:

[Twitter, 6/30/14]

Fox's Todd Starnes: “SCOTUS Decision Is A Victory For Unborn Babies!” Fox radio host Todd Starnes called the decision “a victory for unborn babies.”

[Twitter, 6/30/14]

Starnes: “Obama's Plan To Force Christians To Fund Abortions Is Thwarted.” Starnes further claimed:

[Twitter, 6/30/14]

Breitbart.com's John Nolte: “Ohmydeargawd, Women Might Have To Go To Target For Birth Control.” Breitbart.com's John Nolte quipped that following the Court's ruling, now “women might have to go to target for birth control”:

[Twitter, 6/30/14]

Fox's Steve Doocy Mocks President Obama Over Hobby Lobby Decision. Fox News host Steve Doocy tweeted:

[Twitter, 6/30/14]