Judge Rejects Suit by Seattle Pacific Over State Probe

A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit by Seattle Pacific University against the Washington State attorney general for investigating its employment practices.

Judge Robert Bryan ruled that Seattle Pacific is asking for a change in state law that a federal court cannot grant, KING 5 News reported. He also said any First Amendment arguments by Seattle Pacific should be raised in state court.

Attorney General Bob Ferguson has been investigating whether Seattle Pacific’s acknowledged discrimination against gay people in hiring violates state law.

Ferguson said, “Instead of answering questions about its hiring process, the university filed a federal lawsuit arguing that it is above the law to such an extraordinary degree that my office cannot even send it a letter asking for information about its employment policies. Today, a federal judge appropriately rejected that extreme position.”

The university has maintained that the investigation violates its rights as a religious institution.