Liberty Counsel sent a demand letter to the Missoula Organization of Realtors (MOR) and the National Association of Realtors (NAR) on behalf of a pastor and former real estate agent who was unlawfully disciplined and fined for religious statements made in his pastoral capacity. Under the Fair Housing Act (FHA), it is unlawful to discriminate against a realtor’s sincere religious beliefs. Liberty Counsel seeks that the realtor groups rescind its disciplinary actions against the pastor as they have no merit over religious speech outside the scope of the real estate profession.

Liberty Counsel sent the letter on July 3, 2025 requesting a response by July 30.

In June 2022, bi-vocational Pastor Brandon Huber, who also worked as a realtor to support his ministry, posted on social media that his church would no longer support a local food bank after it began distributing LGBT “pride” materials with its child lunches. Pastor Huber posted that he made the decision because the materials promoted homosexuality in contradiction to the church’s religious beliefs and teachings about morality and sexuality. He went on to say that his church does “not discriminate against people and will never treat them any different because of their choices in life.”

However, several community residents filed ethics complaints alleging “hate speech” and assuming that Pastor Huber’s views on homosexuality would cause him to be biased against the LGBT community in the real estate profession. According to the demand letter, one complaint questioned whether a realtor license should even be given to a religious leader, and included the statement: “Are realtors even allowed to be Pastors too?” 

The MOR determined Pastor Huber’s religious speech—none of which had anything to do with his capacity as a realtor—was “hateful” and “harassing.” The MOR disciplined him for violating the NAR’s Code of Ethics and fined him $5,000 and rescinded his access to an essential listing service which prevented him from participating as a realtor.

In the demand letter, Liberty Counsel notes the complaint evinces “anti-Christian bias” and that Pastor Huber “never violated the NAR and MOR ethical standards.” Rather, Liberty Counsel contends that the NAR and MOR have violated the FHA and Pastor Huber’s Due Process rights with “arbitrary enforcement” of “vague terms” based on the “whims of annoyed and disgruntled residents.”

“The NAR Code of Ethics does not require (nor could it) a member to abstain from expressing their religious beliefs on their private social media account or in church. The NAR and MOR have violated the [law], and Pastor Huber is therefore entitled to damages.”

Liberty Counsel requests that the NAR and MOR:

1. Rescind the 2022 findings and discipline,
2. Cancel any financial or remedial penalties, and
3. Immediately reinstate Pastor Huber’s good standing as a realtor.

Liberty Counsel Founder and Chairman Mat Staver said, “Pastors and people of faith do not have to shed their religious beliefs to maintain a real estate license. The Fair Housing Act prevents discrimination on account of religion. This protection not only applies to home buyers and tenants but also to realtors. The Missoula Organization of Realtors and the National Association of Realtors need to correct this discriminatory mistake.”