The Kolbe Alliance for Conscience Rights today released a policy report urging the Texas Senate Select Committee on Religious Liberty to investigate the removal of Commissioner Carrie Prejean Boller from the Presidential Religious Liberty Commission and to strengthen protections for Texans serving in federal or intergovernmental bodies.
The report, Ensuring the Rights of Religious Conscience and Freedoms of Speech in Texas, documents months of pressure placed on Commissioner Boller—an appointee of President Donald J. Trump—to censor her Catholic pro‑life expression, refrain from discussing Gaza, and obtain prior approval for her social‑media posts. These pressures occurred both before and after the February 9 hearing on antisemitism, where Boller spoke only after Lt. Governor Dan Patrick invited commissioners to question witnesses.
Despite concluding the hearing by praising the discussion as “very healthy,” Patrick later accused Boller of “hijacking” the event. No commissioner objected to her questions, no witness complained, and Patrick never gaveled her down or cited any violation of presidential direction. Two days later, Patrick publicly announced her removal, followed by a formal dismissal email from the White House.
“The Texas Constitution is unequivocal,” said Joe Gimenez, founder of the Kolbe Alliance. “Article I, Section 6 declares that no human authority may interfere with the rights of conscience in matters of religion. Article I, Section 8 protects every Texan’s right to speak, write, or publish opinions on any subject. These protections follow Texas officials—every one of whom is sworn to preserve and protect the Texas Constitution—wherever they serve, including federal commissions.”
The Alliance’s report shows that Commissioner Boller’s Catholic‑based pro‑life expression was curtailed, censored, and ultimately punished, despite the Commission’s stated mandate to protect religious liberty. The report also notes that the Commission’s own draft report omitted any reference to Boller’s removal, even while documenting similar violations suffered by other Americans.
The Kolbe Alliance recommends that the Texas Senate Select Committee formally request that the Presidential Religious Liberty Commission revise and supplement its draft report to include the documented suppression of Commissioner Boller’s religious‑conscience expression and the circumstances of her removal.
The Committee should further recommend that the Texas Legislature officially affirm that Texas constitutional protections for religious conscience and free speech apply to all Texans serving in federal or intergovernmental roles, and that Texas officials must uphold those protections wherever they exercise public authority.
Additional Recommendations
- Conduct a formal inquiry into the circumstances of Boller’s removal
- Issue guidance clarifying Texas officials’ constitutional obligations when serving in state, federal, or intergovernmental roles
- Establish legislative protections for Texans serving on federal advisory bodies
- Create a Texas Religious Liberty Council and a Conscience Rights Ombudsman
- Request federal clarification on removal authority under the Federal Advisory Committee Act
“Texas officials swear an oath to preserve, protect, and defend the Texas Constitution,” Gimenez stated. “That oath does not evaporate when they step across Texas borders. The opposite should be true: Texas officials should help shine the Texas Constitution forth like a light. That certainly did not happen here.”