Trump touts Louisiana Ten Commandments law courting Christian voters ahead of Biden debate

Former President Donald Trump is touting a new Louisiana law requiring the Ten Commandments be displayed in all public school classrooms as he courts Christian voters on his social media platforms and during a speech to Faith & Freedom Coalition evangelicals in Washington over the weekend.

Louisiana became the first state to require the Ten Commandments display in classrooms after Republican Gov. Jeff Landry signed Haughton state Rep. Dodie Horton's bill into law last week. That has drawn intense national attention.

On Friday Trump posted the following on his Truth Social account: “I LOVE THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN PUBLIC SCHOOLS, PRIVATE SCHOOLS, AND MANY OTHER PLACES, FOR THAT MATTER. READ IT — HOW CAN WE, AS A NATION, GO WRONG???”

Trump again touted the new Louisiana law at the Faith & Freedom conference Saturday.

“Has anyone read the ‘Thou shalt not steal’? I mean, has anybody read this incredible stuff? It’s just incredible,” Trump told Faith & Freedom Coalition members. “They don’t want it to go up. It’s a crazy world.’’

Horton, an avid Trump supporter, told USA Today Network she was excited about the attention Trump has drawn to her new law.

"I just think it is surreal the level of attention that my legislation has received," Horton said. "I am incredibly grateful for all of the support this issue has received across the nation and for President Trump bringing even more positive attention to it.

"The Ten Commandments are God’s moral standard for regulating the conduct of man. Our founders as well as President Trump understand this all too well. James Madison stated that we (founders) have staked the whole future of our new nation upon the capacity of each of ourselves to govern ourselves according to the principles of the Ten Commandments."

Civil liberties groups like the ACLU have vowed to sue Louisiana to block the law, claiming it's a clear violation of the separation of church and state equired by the Constitution.

But Landry has said he "can't wait to be sued" and Republican Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill said she is eager to defend the law in court.

Horton said her law isn't endorsing a specific religious and defends its historical significance.

"We look at this document for its historical significance and the impact it has had on all our laws," she said.

Horton previously passed a bill that requires "In God We Trust" be displayed in Louisiana public classrooms.

More: Louisiana sets stage to fund private school tuition for all students; when will it happen?

Greg Hilburn covers Louisiana politics for the USA Today Network. Follow him on Twitter @GregHilburn1.

This article originally appeared on Shreveport Times: Donald Trump points to Louisiana law as he courts Christian voters