Today, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced the creation of a “Religious Liberty Task Force” focused on protecting religious-based discrimination. This task force will be dedicated to implementing his previous directive, which outlined the Trump-Pence administration’s position in support of using religious beliefs as a license to discriminate in employment, housing, business, and health care against LGBTQ people. In response, DNC LGBTQ media director Lucas Acosta issued the following statement:

“From supporting the right to refuse service to same-sex couples to banning military service by transgender individuals to removing mentions of LGBTQ issues from the White House website, Attorney General Sessions’ creation of a Religious Liberty Task Force is just the latest assault in this administration’s continued campaign against LGBTQ people and our civil rights.

“By creating this task force, Sessions is establishing a unit dedicated to undermining LGBTQ rights and giving anti-LGBTQ far-right extremists like task force head Jesse Panuccio a taxpayer-funded platform to push their anti-equality agenda. Rather than ensuring every person has equal protections and opportunities, Sessions is shamefully doubling down on bigotry.

“This action is further proof that Republicans continue to push forward an agenda completely out of step with the American people and our values. Democrats will continue to focus on how to improve opportunity for all Americans regardless of gender, sexual orientation, or income.”