It’s why they are so effective at shutting down “we will just have preachers in schools” initiatives.

That’s heavily overstated. And it largely works by scaring local bureaucrats into thinking they do actually have to host their goofy statue.

In practice, they regularly lose in court. Most recently, the Temple lost a case in bright-blue Boston over their appeal to lead a prayer at the Boston City Council.

Last year, a federal court threw out a case by the Temple to overturn the Indiana abortion ban.

Religious rights having outsided power in the US

Because they have large constituencies and enormous fundraising power. Not because officially reflexively allow any religious organization to act outside the law. The Satanic Temple is great at getting in the news and embarrassing local officials, but middling to useless at affecting public policy.