Federal District Court Rejects ACLU's Attempt To Exclude Veterans Association From The Landmark Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial Cross Case

Court Grants Intervention; Liberty Institute Continues Veterans' Fight to Preserve the 58-Year-Old Veterans Memorial

SAN DIEGO, Calif., Oct. 23, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Today, the United States District Court Judge for the Southern District of California granted intervention to the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial Association (the "Association") allowing the Association to continue as a party in the landmark case, Steve Trunk, et al v. City of San Diego, et al. It overrules the ACLU's attempt to have the Association excluded from the case. For more than 20-years, the battle has been fought to decide the fate of the historic Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial Cross, located in San Diego, CA, which the Association originally erected to honor Korean War veterans in 1954.

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During a mandatory hearing held at the same district court in late July, the ACLU called into question the Association's future role in the case after it was disclosed that the U.S. Department of Justice and the ACLU were engaging in settlement discussions without the Association's participation.

"We are pleased with the Court's decision today allowing the Mt. Soledad Memorial Association to continue as a party in this case, regardless of the ACLU's tactics to silence the MSMA and exclude the veterans from discussions that will determine the fate of this historic Veterans Memorial," said Jeff Mateer, General Counsel for Liberty Institute. "Through the years, the Association has tirelessly fought to preserve this longstanding memorial. We look forward to continuing to defend and work alongside the other parties to achieve a resolution that will preserve this memorial cross and continue to honor the selfless sacrifice and service of our nation's veterans."

For more than a half century, the Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial Cross has stood as a symbol of the selfless sacrifice and service of our nation's veterans. The memorial cross is surrounded by six concentric walls with the photos, names and diverse religious symbols of members of our military who have honorably served their country.

The Mt. Soledad Veterans Memorial is just one of many veterans memorials across the country under assault by the ACLU, atheist groups and their supporters. In 2009, Liberty Institute successfully represented the Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) of the United States, The American Legion, the Military Order of the Purple Heart, VFW Department of California, American Ex-Prisoners of War, VFW Post 385, and retired Lt. Col. Allen R. Miliefsky, United States Air Force as amici at the Supreme Court to help save the Mojave Desert Veterans Memorial Cross, a World War I memorial in the Mojave National Preserve in California.

About Liberty Institute

Liberty Institute is a nonprofit legal group dedicated to defending and restoring religious liberty across America — in our schools, for our churches and throughout the public arena. Liberty's vision is to reestablish religious liberty in accordance with the principles of our nation's Founders. For information, visit www.LibertyInstitute.org.

SOURCE Liberty Institute