Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport files civil lawsuit against State of Connecticut officials...

From Diocese of Bridgeport Website:

BRIDGEPORT, Friday, May 29, 2009, 3:00 p.m. – In United States District Court today, attorneys representing the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bridgeport filed a lawsuit against officials of the State of Connecticut Office of State Ethics (OSE), seeking a court order to stop them from an unconstitutional application of state lobbying laws.

These officials are requiring the Diocese – and presumably all other organizations – to register as a lobbyist in order to engage in activities such as a rally at the State Capitol or using its website to encourage its members to contact their elected representatives. Application of the law in this manner would subject the First Amendment rights of Freedom of Speech, Freedom of Religion, and Freedom of Assembly to government oversight and penalties.

More at the link: http://www.bridgeportdiocese.com/story_Ethics.shtml
----------------------------------------------------------------
This is all in response to the Catholic Church's opposition to Connecticut Senate Bill SB 1098, which singled out Catholic parishes and would have forced them to reorganize contrary to Church law and the First Amendment. It would have required parishes to create a lay-based committee that would oversee and have control over all of a parishes finances, instead of the Pastor.