DOJ to look at restrictions placed on religious institutions during pandemic

A Justice Department official told ABC News on Sunday that Attorney General William Barr is taking a look at "multiple" instances where people who violated social distancing guidelines while trying to attend worship services may have received harsher punishments than others in their community.

Barr is paying attention to two cases in particular, ABC News reports. One is out of Mississippi, where police on Wednesday allegedly ticketed worshippers who attended drive-in services at a Baptist church. The other is from Kentucky, where a federal judge on Saturday granted a temporary restraining order for a church in Louisville that wanted to hold drive-in Easter services.

On Twitter, Justice Department spokesperson Kerri Kupec said that while "social distancing policies are appropriate during this emergency, they must be applied evenhandedly and not single out religious orgs. Expect action from DOJ next week!"

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