Joe.My.God. LGBT News
The Freedom From Religion Foundation writes:
The 8-year legal saga over censorship by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott of a Bill of Rights display has finally ended with receipt of attorneys’ fees by the Freedom From Religion Foundation.
Although FFRF won the lawsuit with a judgment by the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals last year, disputes and delaying tactics by the governor held up the required attorney fees and costs totaling $358,073.67, which were received this week. Of that, $184,727.11 reimburses FFRF for staff attorney time.
“We’re pleased this federal lawsuit can finally be put to rest,” comments Annie Laurie Gaylor, FFRF co-president. “But had Abbott only done the right thing from the start, or at least accepted the decision of the federal court back in 2017, Texas taxpayers would have been spared most of these attorneys’ fees.”
The lawsuit began in February 2016, after Abbott ordered removal of FFRF’s duly-approved and permitted Bill of Rights “nativity” display from the Texas state Capitol. Abbott ordered the display removed only three days after it was put up on Dec. 18, 2015, lambasting it as indecent, mocking and “contributing to public immorality.”
Read the full press release.
An 8-year legal saga over censorship by Texas Gov. Greg Abbott over a Bill of Rights display in the state capitol building has finally ended. We won the lawsuit last year (it started in 2016) but we only got our attorney fees and costs this week! 🎉https://t.co/yT38YUwpqd
— FFRF (@FFRF) August 6, 2024