LAKE COUNTY, Fla. — A man from south Florida is threatening to sue Lake County if it doesn't allow him to give a satanic invocation at a commission meeting.
Chaz Stevens said his goal is to help make Lake County more religiously inclusive, but the commission chairman, Jimmy Conner, said he will not allow it.
"I've made the decision that he's not coming while I'm chairman, period," Conner said.
Conner is standing his ground, despite a Supreme Court ruling allowing volunteers to give an invocation, and laws prohibiting the government from choosing one religion over another.
Stevens, a self-proclaimed atheist, said he'll file a lawsuit if denied.
"You see this cross on my lapel? I didn't put it on there this morning. It's something that's there anytime I have this suit on," said Conner.
Raw: Commission chairman on satanic invocation request
"A lot of people, they have this false patriotism. They wave the flag and they wear the lapel flag, right?" Stevens said.
Stevens said the satanic invocation would, "reflect values long part of the nation's heritage and be solemn and respectful in tone."
"It'll cost the taxpayers a bunch of money when we sue them and they lose in court. What they're doing is discriminatory and flies in the face of what the U.S. government wants," Stevens.
"No thanks to all the liberal courts in this country, including the Supreme Court, who have no idea what the founding fathers intended for our country to be," said Conner.
Channel 9 requested a copy of the list showing 18 volunteers who've been approved so far this year to give the invocation at county commission meetings.
The chairman said they've even included nonbelievers, but he said enough is enough.
Conner said he'll rally churches to raise money for a defense, sparing taxpayer dollars, but said one thing he won't spare, is prayer.
"Are you willing to forego an invocation?" asked Channel 9 Janai Norman.
"No, absolutely not. I think it's time for this community to rally around the truth. The truth is the Lord. The trust is almighty God. It certainly isn't Satan," Conner said.
Lake County only allows county residents to give the invocation.
Stevens lives in Broward County, but said he's willing to fight that as well.