Judge rejects GOP request in Hobby Lobby lawsuit

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- A federal judge won't allow several Republican members of Congress to file a brief in favor of Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc.'s lawsuit challenging a provision in the federal health care law requiring insurance coverage of the morning-after pill.

U.S. District Judge Joe Heaton denied a request Monday from more than a dozen Republicans who hoped to file a friend-of-the-court brief in support of Hobby Lobby's lawsuit against the federal government.

Heaton wrote that the group's interests "coincide wholly" with Hobby Lobby, which argues that covering the morning-after pill violates the Christian beliefs of the company's founders.

Those who signed on to the request included Senate GOP Leader Mitch McConnell, Oklahoma Sen. James Inhofe and Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch.