Justices Quash Suit Over Funds For Faith Groups

Justices Quash Suit Over Funds For Faith Groups

By William BraniginWashington Post Staff Writer

Tuesday, June 26, 2007; Page A06

The Supreme Court ruled yesterday that federal taxpayers cannot challenge the constitutionality of White House efforts to help religious groups obtain government funding for their social programs, handing a victory to President Bush's faith-based initiatives program.

In a 5 to 4 decision, the court blocked a lawsuit by a Wisconsin-based group of atheists and agnostics against the White House Office of Faith-Based and Community Initiatives.
The court ruled that the suit, by the Freedom From Religion Foundation
and three of its taxpaying members, could not go forward because
ordinary taxpayers lack legal standing to challenge executive branch
expenditures. The ruling reversed a January 2006 decision in favor of
the foundation by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 7th Circuit.