On May 8, at a union meeting in Oakdale, Long Island, an exchange between candidates for the school board in Connetquot resulted in an anti-Catholic remark. Lucille Johnson, the incumbent, disagreed with the sex education position of one of her challengers, John Mawn, and this led her to question his right to run for office given his Catholic status. Johnson said that Mawn had no business running in the race because he is a Catholic who believes in his religion. This statement has been verified by others who attended the meeting.
Catholic League president William Donohue commented on this today:
“The U.S. Constitution has made it very clear that there can never be a religious test for public office. Yet here we are over 200 years later still revisiting this issue. For anyone to make an issue of the religious affiliation of his opponent is as un-American as it is despicable.
“There are only two responses that will satisfy the Catholic League at this point: one is that Lucille Johnson extend a public apology to John Mawn (as well as to Catholics in general), and the other is for her to resign immediately from the school board. We await her decision.”
Long Island media can contact Long Island Catholic League Chapter President Charles Mansfield at 516-741-1443 or at 516-775-6569.
