I pray for the people of Tennessee who have been so downtrodden by the wicked courts from on high; that they have been subject to tyrannical judiciary."
NASHVILLE — A normally routine prayer in the Senate on Tuesday turned out to be anything but when a minister and activist bemoaned what she called “tyrannical” overreach from Washington.
The prayer wasn’t unprecedented in dabbling into politics but stood out in how vigorously it veered in that direction. It came a day after Republican Gov. Bill Haslam convened a special session to discuss his plan to extend health coverage to 280,000 low-income Tennesseans. Many fellow Republicans in the Legislature are dubious about the plan because it relies on funds available under President Barack Obama’s health care law.
June Griffin, pastor of the American Bible Protestant Church, an independent body in Dayton, Tennessee, was invited to speak by Republican Sen. Frank Niceley, an opponent of the governor’s plan.
Before praying, Griffin asked for prayer requests, and a legislator asked that she pray for lawmakers as they decide whether to approve the governor’s proposal, which could be voted on as early as this week.