Federal judge who ordered Southwest Airlines lawyers get religious-liberty training delays action

A federal judge is delaying his controversial order that lawyers for Southwest Airlines submit to “religious-liberty training.” U.S. District Judge Brantley Starr said Thursday he would delay the training and other contempt penalties for 30 days while Southwest appeals to a higher court. The judge is seeking to punish Southwest for, he says, mostly disregarding a previous order. This is happening in a case involving a flight attendant who says she was fired for expressing opposition to abortion. Southwest is appealing both the punishment and the jury verdict to the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans.