Gov. Gregoire and Attorney General McKenna’s statement on holiday displays

For Immediate Release: December 3, 2008

OLYMPIA – Gov. Chris Gregoire and Attorney General Rob McKenna today issued the following statement about holiday displays on view in Washington state’s Legislative Building:

“Last year, after a federal lawsuit was filed against the state of Washington by the Alliance Defense Fund, the state’s Department of General Administration set forth a policy allowing individuals or groups to sponsor a display regardless of that individual’s or group’s views.

“The Legislative Building belongs to all citizens of Washington state, and houses the state Legislature, as well as the offices of several state-elected executives, including the governor. The U.S. Supreme Court has been consistent and clear that, under the Constitution’s First Amendment, once government admits one religious display or viewpoint onto public property, it may not discriminate against the content of other displays, including the viewpoints of non-believers.”