Fact Check: "In June 2024, the Supreme Court unanimously ruled that Wisconsin discriminated against a Catholic charity by forcing it to pay state unemployment taxes."
What We Know
The claim states that the Supreme Court ruled in June 2024 that Wisconsin discriminated against a Catholic charity by requiring it to pay state unemployment taxes. However, the ruling in question actually occurred on June 5, 2025, not in June 2024. The Supreme Court found that Wisconsin had violated the Constitution by denying a Catholic social ministry group the same unemployment tax exemption granted to other religious organizations, such as churches and religious schools. Justice Sonia Sotomayor, writing for the unanimous court, emphasized that the denial constituted religious discrimination, stating, “A law that differentiates between religions along theological lines is textbook denominational discrimination” (source-4).
Analysis
The claim misrepresents the timeline of the Supreme Court's ruling. The decision was made in June 2025, which is a year later than the claim suggests. Furthermore, the ruling did not state that Wisconsin was forcing the charity to pay taxes in a discriminatory manner; rather, it addressed the state's refusal to grant an exemption that was available to other religious organizations. The Wisconsin Supreme Court had previously upheld the state's decision, arguing that the charity did not operate primarily for religious purposes, as it provided services to individuals of all faiths and did not require participants to adhere to Catholic teachings (source-4).
The reliability of the sources used in this analysis is high, particularly the Supreme Court's official opinion and reputable legal commentary from sources like SCOTUSblog. These sources provide a clear and accurate account of the court's decision and its implications, which helps to clarify the context of the ruling (source-1).
Conclusion
Verdict: False. The claim inaccurately states the date of the Supreme Court's ruling and misrepresents the nature of the case. The ruling was made in June 2025, not June 2024, and it addressed the denial of a tax exemption rather than a requirement to pay taxes in a discriminatory manner.
