From
www.usatoday.com –
Supreme Court declines challenge to city prayer vigil
Excerpt:
WASHINGTON – The Supreme Court declined Monday to hear arguments in a dispute between officials in a central Florida city who encouraged residents to attend a prayer vigil and two atheists who claimed the city’s involvement violated the First Amendment.
The decision to decline the case, which was made without comment from the high court, leaves in place a federal appeals court ruling that found at least one of the plaintiffs was within their rights to sue over the vigil. The lawsuit may now continue in a lower court.
Two of the court’s conservatives justices wrote brief opinions about the decision to decline the case. Associate Justice Neil Gorsuch signaled support for the city’s view but said that it was too early for the Supreme Court to weigh in. Associate Justice Clarence Thomas dissented from the court’s decision.