Does the University of Virginia Have Its Own Mark Regnerus?

I have written numerous times about Mark Regnerus at the University of Texas and his discredited "study" funded by right wing ultra right anti-gay organization which was used by Christofascists to oppose marriage equality and adoption and foster care by gay couples.  Now, some wonder if something similar may have gone on at the University of Virginia with Professor Douglas Laycock, who is married to UVa President Teresa A. Sullivan.  Laycock has authored pieces that support misnamed "religious freedom laws" that the Christofascists want to grant themselves the right to ignore laws they do not like and to discriminate based on claimed religious belief.  Laycock likewise supports Hobby Lobby in its ongoing case before the U.S. Supreme Court case involving Hobby Lobby's desired to ignore the contraception coverage requirements of the Affordable Health Care Act.   Freedom of Information Act requests have been filed to investigate what funding has been used by Laycock to back his support for religious extremist positions.  Here are highlights from the Richmond Times Dispatch:

University of Virginia legal scholar Douglas Laycock is facing criticism from gay rights groups for his support of religious freedom laws that activists say could lead to discrimination against the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. Activists also are upset at his support for Hobby Lobby in an ongoing Supreme Court case involving contraception coverage.

Laycock, who is married to UVa President Teresa A. Sullivan, is the subject of a Freedom of Information Act records request by two UVa student activists - Gregory Lewis and Stephanie Montenegro. In an open letter to the professor, Lewis and Montenegro said that while they respect Laycock's right to academic freedom, they believe his writings supporting controversial religious freedom laws are holding back progressive causes such as access to contraceptives and gay marriage.

"Most recently, your legal work on the topic of 'religious liberty' has been used as a basis of discrimination bills like the one that went into effect in Mississippi and nearly in Arizona," read the letter. "Your work has also been used in efforts to resist the requirement in the Affordable Care Act that employers cover the cost of contraception."

Montenegro and Lewis are seeking, among other things, university-funded travel expenses and cellphone records for the past two-and-a-half years. The students wrote that the request - a copy of which was sent to The Daily Progress - was in the public interest, seeking "a full, transparent accounting of the resources used by Professor Laycock which may be going towards halting the progress of the LGBT community and to erode the reproductive rights of women across the country."

"These laws mostly address miscellaneous conflicts between the practices of assorted religious groups and government regulations," Laycock said.

But lately, the laws have been in the headlines as the battle over gay marriage continues around the country. Some anti-gay-marriage groups see it as a way to allow businesses to discriminate against gay and lesbian couples, said Heather Cronk, spokeswoman for the national gay rights advocacy group Get Equal.

"There shouldn't be a need for a new law ... if there are already protections under freedom of religion," Cronk said. "There are no protections for LGBT people in place," she added.

Among the records requested by Lewis and Montenegro are emails between Laycock, Alliance Defending Freedom and the Becket Fund.  Laycock said he believes the campaign is based on guilt-by-association.

"'He's giving aid and comfort to the enemy' - that's their position," Laycock said "My position is civil liberties applies to both sides. It applies to all Americans."

One can only hope that public funds have not been used to further discrimination and extremist positions.  Given the controversy that  surrounded his wife's tenure as president of the University, one would hope that Laycock isn't another Regnerus.