Far-right pastor files lawsuit against Spokane
News Brief by FāVS News
Following through on his recent threat to sue the City of Spokane, far-right pastor Sean Feucht filed a lawsuit against the city and several current and former administrators this week.
The traveling pastor alleges that the city council’s criticism of former Mayor Nadine Woodward for her presence at his Aug. 20 performance venue, the Podium, constituted an assault on the entire Christian community.
Lawsuit targets officials over mayor’s event appearance
His 30-page lawsuit, which was filed in Spokane County Superior Court on Wednesday, names the city, former Council President Lori Kinnear, former Council Member Karen Stratton, current Council President Betsy Wilkerson and current Council Member Zack Zappone as defendants.
The pastor’s appearance alongside the former mayor proved highly contentious due to his history of associations with domestic extremism and political violence, as well as both individuals’ publicly expressed anti-LGBTQ+ views. Consequently, a month after the August “Let Us Worship” event, the city council passed a formal resolution censuring the former mayor. The resolution, approved by council members Kinnear, Wilkerson, Zappone and Stratton, led Feucht to name them as defendants in his lawsuit.
In a May 31 appearance at On Fire Ministries, Feucht revealed he would file the suit, saying, “We are taking a stand against the bigotry and hatred of Christians in the city of Spokane, and we’re not backing down.”
Feucht seeks damages, injunction over religious criticism
While the pastor initially stated at the church that he would sue for $2 million, that specific dollar amount was not included in the actual lawsuit filed. Instead, the lawsuit alleges he is seeking compensation for “emotional distress and other non-economic damages,” without specifying the full amount being sought. In the legal filing, Feucht’s attorneys argue that the total damages “will be proved at trial.”
In addition to seeking damages, Feucht is requesting an injunction from the court that would prohibit government officials from condemning or criticizing any leader for interacting with him on the basis of his religious beliefs. He is also asking the judge to rule that the City Council lacked the authority to pass its September resolution denouncing the former mayor’s appearance at his event.
Proceedings are set to continue with a status conference scheduled in early September.
