California City Votes to Say Prayers Before Council Meetings, Faces Possible Lawsuit

The city of Lodi is facing a possible lawsuit after the City Council voted to support a policy of saying prayers before council meetings.

After the vote Wednesday, an official with the Wisconsin-based Freedom from Religion Foundation repeated the group's threat to sue the city.

Annie Gaylor, co-founder of the foundation, says the group will monitor the invocations under a modified prayer policy approved by the council.

In voting unanimously in favor of conducting prayers, council members said they felt they addressed the issue of a possible lawsuit by holding uncensored prayers before meetings are called to order.

Gaylor says the foundation will also monitor other cities in California with similar policies, including Tracy, Turlock and Tehachapi.

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