Allegheny County and Americans United for Separation of Church and State Fight Over Display of Ten Commandments Plaque

December 20, 2000

Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

On December 20, 2000, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reported that Vince Gastgeb, an Allegheny County Councilman, is trying to gather votes to pass a resolution that supports keeping the Ten Commandments mounted on the side of the courthouse. He needed 10 votes, but he was one short. The council voted to further debate the issue and get advice from county lawyers. Americans United for Separation of Church and State is threatening to sue the county over the mounted Ten Commandments. This nonprofit organization says that the plaque violates the first amendment. County Chief Executive Jim Roddey said he will not spend taxpayer's money to defend the plaque but will fight the case with legal aid. "County Councilman Rich Fitzgerald, D-Squirrel Hill, cited a letter to the editor in Sunday's Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, in which Upper St. Clair resident Bruno Tambellini wrote: 'Atheists or non-Christians who object to religious displays in public places should be reminded that this is a Christian country built by Christians for Christians. If they don't like it, they should leave it.' Fitzgerald said, 'This is the type of intolerance that I'm afraid we'd be promoting if we try to fight this [threatened] lawsuit.'" ACLU attorney Jon Pushinsky said he believes that the county will surely lose if Americans United sues.