Officials in a New Mexico city that lost a legal battle over a Ten Commandments display are hoping donations will pour in to pay the community’s legal bills.
Acting on behalf of local residents, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed suit against a Ten Commandments display in front of the Bloomfield City Hall in 2012. The city lost at the first level of federal court but pursued appeals all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, which declined to hear the case. The monument was given to a local church.
The city now owes the ACLU $700,000 and does not have enough money in its reserves to pay the bill.
The Farmington Daily Times reported that the city launched a GoFundMe campaign in August, hoping to raise $500,000.
“Given the overwhelming public support during the litigation, the City is reaching out to concerned citizens in an effort to help crowd fund the remaining balance owed in attorneys’ fees,” reads the GoFundMe page. “The City appreciates all of the support private citizens can offer.”
