Interfaith Alliance, in a statement by Paul Raushenbush, says Moreno's comments attack Muslims and all non-Christian Americans
Interfaith AllianceReligious freedom advocacy organization, in a statement by president and CEO Paul Brandeis Raushenbush
Interfaith Alliance, in a statement by its president and CEO, the Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, says the Constitution bars religious tests for office and calls Moreno's comments an attack on Muslims and all non-Christian Americans.
“The US Constitution explicitly bars religious tests for public office. Sen. Moreno swore an oath to uphold that US Constitution, but clearly he has not read it - or does not agree with it. The naked Christian nationalism of his comments last night represent an attack on Muslims and on all non-Christian Americans.”
Official statement
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Bernie Moreno says Abdul El-Sayed should be nowhere near Washington, invoking Jesus; CAIR and Interfaith Alliance cite the ban on religious tests
At a Republican rally in Chillicothe, Ohio, on October 28, 2026, Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio said Michigan Democratic Senate nominee Abdul El-Sayed, who is Muslim, should be nowhere near Washington. He asked whether El-Sayed understands that "our rights come from God Almighty" and that "Jesus came here for our salvation," and said Republican nominee Mike Rogers would beat him on Tuesday. The Council on American-Islamic Relations called on every senator to reaffirm that the Constitution bars religious tests for public office. Interfaith Alliance said Moreno's comments were an attack on Muslims and on all non-Christian Americans. On MS NOW, Joe Scarborough and Steve Benen also cited the Constitution in criticizing the remarks. We did not find a public response from Moreno to the criticism as of November 1, 2026.
Source and context
Official statement
About this source
Interfaith Alliance press release dated October 29, 2026, with a statement by its president and CEO, the Rev. Paul Brandeis Raushenbush, and the text of a petition against religious tests for office.
Reporting
About this source
Baptist News Global report on criticism of Moreno's remarks, quoting Interfaith Alliance president Paul Raushenbush and describing the group's petition.
Before the quotation
The group's October 29 release says Moreno attacked El-Sayed, a Muslim, at a campaign rally on Wednesday, saying he can be nowhere near Washington in part because he does not understand that Jesus came here for our salvation.
After the quotation
Raushenbush calls the remarks part of a pattern of Islamophobia directed at El-Sayed and at American Muslims. The group also launched a petition against religious tests for office.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Relative to Moreno's remark that El-Sayed should be nowhere near Washington, Interfaith Alliance condemns the comments as Christian nationalism and an attack on non-Christian Americans.
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More from this case
Read the full caseSteve Benen calls the idea of disqualifying non-Christians from Congress plainly insane
“the idea that they should be disqualified from congressional service because of their beliefs is plainly insane.”Read statement
CAIR, in a statement by Robert McCaw, cites the Constitution's ban on religious tests in response to Moreno's remarks
Council on American-Islamic Relations
“Article VI of the Constitution is unequivocal: there is no religious test for public office. Imposing sectarian litmus tests to disqualify candidates based on their faith is a direct assault on the pluralistic values and constitutional guardrails that define our democratic republic.”Read statement
Joe Scarborough tells Moreno to read the First Amendment
“Just read the first phrase of the First Amendment, the Constitution of the United States First Amendment, Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion.”Read statement
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- Interfaith Alliance, in a statement by Paul Raushenbush, says Moreno's comments attack Muslims and all non-Christian Americans
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The Dispute Index. "Interfaith Alliance, in a statement by Paul Raushenbush, says Moreno's comments attack Muslims and all non-Christian Americans". First published: 2026-11-01. Last updated: 2026-11-01. https://disputeindex.com/events/7635-interfaith-alliance-in-a-statement-by-its-president