2023 First Liberty Annual Report

AMERICA’S EVERYDAY HEROES

First Liberty represents Americans who boldly stand for faith and freedom. Our clients are everyday heroes from all walks of life, diverse backgrounds and beliefs.

Kenny Vaughan

Rabbi Eli Goodman

Kenny Vaughan’s company, Shields of Strength, has produced millions of dog tags with Scripture and donated them to soldiers who need a reminder of divine protection. Thousands of service members have found comfort and peace in their faith via Shields of Strength but the U.S. government, at the urging of a radical group, is seeking to ban these inspirational tags—sim- ply because they have a religious message. We’re defending Shields so that they can continue to offer hope to our nation’s warriors.

Rabbi Eli Goodman founded Chabad of the Beaches to serve the Jewish community of Long Barrier Island, New York. The congregation purchased a building that was vacant for several years. But when village officials heard about a religious group purchasing the property, the village sought to seize the property through emi- nent domain. First Liberty is defending the congregation, because houses of worship in America should not be subject to this type of religious hostility.

Robyn Strader

Prof. Johnson Varkey

Robyn Strader—a nurse practitioner with multiple, advanced degrees—requested a religious accommodation so she wouldn’t have to violate her religious beliefs and prescribe abortion-inducing drugs. CVS accommodated her for over six years. But CVS reversed course and fired her, joining the ranks of a hostile corporate culture that targets religious employees. First Liberty filed a federal lawsuit to protect Robyn and other medical professionals from having to choose between their faith and livelihood.

Dr. Varkey was a professor at St. Philips College, who taught biology under school approved and science-based curriculum. He taught over 1,500 students during his 20- year tenure and received impeccable student reviews. But the college fired him after a small group of students disagreed with his teachings, which are consistent with his study of human biology and his religious beliefs. First Liberty is defending him because firing Americans for their religious beliefs is unlawful.

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