Charles Wysong can't intervene in Hamilton County prayer lawsuit

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

photo Charles Wysong

A judge denied Charles Wysong's motion to intervene in the federal lawsuit against Hamilton County over prayer during commission meetings the same day it was filed.

Wysong said "that presently there are no non-Hamilton County employees or elected officials of Hamilton County government who are ordained ministers involved in this litigation and therefore, without permission to intervene, my First Amendment rights to freedom of speech and freedom of religion interest under the first and fourteenth amendments to the United States Constitution will not be adequately represented by the existing parties..."

U.S. District Judge Harry S. "Sandy" Mattice issued an order later in the day denying Wysongs motion. He said there are mandatory grounds or permissive reasons to grant the motion.

"Mr. Wysong's general ideological interest in the present subject matter does not grant him a right to intervene," Mattice wrote.

The judge also denied June Griffin's motion to intervene in the case for similar reasons.