Fired Lobbyist Sues Catholic Advocacy Group For Religious Discrimination

Albuquerque Journal reports on a religious discrimination lawsuit filed last Thursday against the non-profit Catholic advocacy group CHI St. Joseph’s Children and against Allen Sanchez, the executive director of the New Mexico Council of Catholic Bishops.  Plaintiff Miguel Gómez worked as a lobbyist and policy advisor for the advocacy group from 2010 until he was fired earlier this year.  Gomez claims he was fired because Sanchez discovered he is not a Catholic, discovered Gomez considers abortion sometimes morally permissible and had encouraged his pregnant girlfriend to have an abortion.  The suit claims that because CHI is not affiliated with the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, it is subject to the prohibition on religious discrimination in employment found in federal and New Mexico law.