RIGHT BIAS
These media sources are moderately to strongly biased toward conservative causes through story selection and/or political affiliation. They may utilize strong loaded words (wording that attempts to influence an audience by using appeal to emotion or stereotypes), publish misleading reports, and omit information that may damage conservative causes. Some sources in this category may be untrustworthy. See all Right Bias sources.
- First Liberty Institute is a conservative Christian legal advocacy group that promotes religious liberty primarily through litigation and cultural campaigns. It shows a strong ideological alignment with right-wing political figures and policies and often uses emotional, one-sided language to frame legal battles as cultural warfare. While it uses legitimate legal cases and accurate references to constitutional precedent, the selective focus and lack of balance result in a Right Bias and Mixed factual rating.
Detailed Report
Bias Rating: RIGHT (6.4)
Factual Reporting: MIXED (5.1)
Country: USA
MBFC’s Country Freedom Rank: MOSTLY FREE
Media Type: Organization/Foundation
Traffic/Popularity: Minimal Traffic
MBFC Credibility Rating: MEDIUM CREDIBILITY
History
First Liberty Institute is a Texas-based nonprofit legal organization founded to defend religious liberty in the United States. It is the largest legal group in the country, exclusively focused on protecting what it refers to as “America’s first freedom”, religious expression.
Originally launched under the name Liberty Legal Institute, the group gained national prominence through its litigation strategy, which centered on conservative interpretations of First Amendment rights. The group is led by Kelly Shackelford, a constitutional attorney with long-standing ties to religious and right-wing political advocacy.
Read our profile on the United States media and government.
Funded by / Ownership
First Liberty is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, but its website provides no clear disclosure of major donors, foundations, or financial backers. It accepts donations from the public through calls to action, such as “Join the Fight” and “Donate Now.” The lack of funding transparency limits the ability to fully assess conflicts of interest. However, endorsements from high-profile right-wing political figures—including Senator Ted Cruz, Mike Huckabee, and Rick Perry, indicate close ideological alignment with Republican and Christian conservative circles.
Analysis / Bias
First Liberty’s content consistently demonstrates a right-leaning editorial perspective, evident in both issue selection and tone. The organization defines religious freedom through a narrow lens centered almost entirely on Christian identity and practice. Its language often frames opposition to Christian expression as an attack by “woke” culture or secular authorities. For instance, in “Flight Attendant Refuses to be Canceled by Woke Airline”, the group defends two Alaska Airlines employees fired after questioning the Equality Act, referring to their dismissal as “woke madness.” The piece accuses the airline of violating federal law while portraying the employees as victims of ideological persecution.
Similarly, in “School Threatens to Fire Teacher Because of Crucifix at Her Desk”, the site provides a one-sided account of a religious discrimination case involving a Connecticut teacher. The narrative is emotionally charged, frequently emphasizing religious suppression and moral outrage while omitting the district’s legal justification for its actions.
First Liberty’s Religious Liberty in the States Index reflects its conservative values by ranking states based on their adoption of religious exemptions and conscience clauses. In the 2025 edition, the group praises Governor Ron DeSantis and Florida as the top-ranked state for religious liberty. The accompanying article frames the rankings in terms of political alignment, noting that DeSantis’s leadership has made Florida “#1 in religious liberty.”
First Liberty also publicly supports Donald Trump, describing his administration as “monumental” in advancing religious freedom and featuring approving coverage of new faith-based initiatives under Trump’s executive actions. The site closely links its own legal victories, such as Kennedy v. Bremerton School District, to federal religious policy under Trump, further signaling ideological alignment.
Throughout its site, First Liberty promotes almost exclusively Christian clients and causes. Although it claims to defend religious liberty for “all Americans,” there is no visible evidence of cases involving Muslim, Jewish, atheist, or other non-Christian claimants. The tone and content strongly suggest that its definition of religious liberty is closely aligned with evangelical Christian expression.
Failed Fact Checks
- None in the Last 5 years
First Liberty Institute is a conservative Christian legal advocacy group that promotes religious liberty primarily through litigation and cultural campaigns. It shows a strong ideological alignment with right-wing political figures and policies and often uses emotional, one-sided language to frame legal battles as cultural warfare. While it uses legitimate legal cases and accurate references to constitutional precedent, the selective focus and lack of balance result in a Right Bias and Mixed factual rating. (D. Van Zandt 08/03/2025)
Source: https://firstliberty.org/
Last Updated on August 3, 2025 by Media Bias Fact Check
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