PITTSBURGH (AP) — A Pennsylvania county council has voted 8-6 against posting the national motto, “In God We Trust,” in its chambers.
Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald had threatened to veto the measure, which he called “a movement by the right-wing evangelical Christians across the country basically to impose Christianity” in public buildings.
Fitzgerald is a Democrat, as are the eight council members who opposed the display, which would also have included Pennsylvania’s state motto “Virtue, Liberty and Independence” and another U.S. motto, “E Pluribus Unum.”
All five Republicans on council voted for the display, as did Democrat Bill Robinson.
A Democrat who co-sponsored the bill, Councilman Charles Martoni, voted against it saying, “The more I looked at it, it’s unnecessary.” Another Democrat co-sponsor, Councilman John Palmiere, didn’t attend Tuesday’s meeting. Council has 15 members.
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