A press release from the Thomas More Law Center reports that on Dec. 20 a new lawsuit challenging the Affordable Care Act contraceptive coverage mandate was filed on behalf of five non-profit corporations, all founded by Catholic philanthropist and Domino Pizza founder Tom Monaghan. The entities suing are the Ave Maria Foundation, Ave Maria Communications, Domino’s Farms Petting Farm, Rhodora J. Donahue Academy Inc., and the Thomas More Law Center. The complaint in Ave Maria Foundation v. Sebelius, (ED MI, filed 12/20/2013) was filed after plaintiffs were unsuccessful in their attempts to join in either of two other similar pending lawsuits. On Dec. 23, shortly after bringing the new lawsuit, plaintiffs filed an Emergency Motion Motion for a Temporary Restraining Order and a Brief In Support (full text). The brief asserts that all of the plaintiffs" are nonprofit corporations that were founded upon, adhere to, and strive to further, the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church." The Thomas More Law Center, one of the plaintiffs as well as counsel for all the plaintiffs, is a non-profit public interest law firm based in Ann Arbor, Michigan that has filed numerous lawsuits defending religious freedom and pro-life positions.
