Two Sue Commissioners Over Christian Prayer

Two Carroll County residents are suing the Board of Carroll County Commissioners in federal court to stop the commissioners from opening meetings with Christian prayers. 

The Board made references to “Jesus,” “Lord,” and “Savior” no less than 54 times, according to a complaint filed in federal court by Carroll County residents Bruce Hake and Neil Ridgely.

Watch Commissioners meetings online.

According to the complaint, filed in U.S. District Court, Baltimore, Wednesday, the prayers are “divisive and exclusionary,” and lead Hake and Ridgely to feel “unwelcome at Board meetings.” 

Beyond violating the establishment clause of the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, the complaint also argues that the sectarian prayers are an affront to religious freedom. Hake, a “religious Roman Catholic” according to the complaint, said the prayers advance “a version of Christianity that is historically anti-Catholic” and, the complaint contends, the prayers violate principles of the Christian bible.

He is left with two equally unappealing choices, according to the complaint: avoid board meetings or participate in proceedings that violate his religious freedom.

The Board is aware of the suit, Commissioner Haven Shoemaker told the Washington Post Thursday, but it has not yet met with the county’s attorney.