Court's contentious decision on free speech criticized severely by Spokane lawyer
In a recent development, the court has dismissed a First Amendment lawsuit filed by conservative Christian activist Sean Feucht against the city of Spokane, Washington. The lawsuit, which sought $2 million in damages, stemmed from a resolution passed by the city council in 2023, denouncing former Mayor Nadine Woodward for appearing on stage with Feucht.
Feucht's assistant confirmed that he is currently in a remote area with no phone service, making him unreachable until later this month. An automatic reply from his email stated that two other contacts could be reached instead.
Spokane Mayor Lisa Brown, in a statement, declared the ruling a 'complete victory' for the city, stating that there was no legal merit to Feucht's claims. The city council had approved $100,000 in spending to fight the lawsuit in October 2024, which was later capped at $200,000 for their outside counsel. However, the Brown administration did not immediately respond to questions about how much of the $200,000 was spent on the case and whether the city plans to seek attorney fees.
The amended lawsuit, filed in April 2025, alleged that the city of Spokane, in passing the resolution, condemned and discouraged Feucht's religious beliefs and practices, as well as those of many in Spokane. The court decision stated that the resolution did not violate the Free Speech Clause, as it was an expression of the council's views on matters of public concern.
Council President Betsy Wilkerson and Councilmember Zack Zappone also signed onto the statement, but the lawsuit named former Council President Lori Kinnear and Councilmember Karen Stratton.
Meanwhile, another legal battle with the city is ongoing in a federal court. Matt Shea, a former representative from Spokane Valley, has a lawsuit against the city due to his accusations of promoting armed conflicts against the federal government in a state investigation.
Nadine Woodward, the former Mayor of Spokane, apologized to several media outlets for her appearance at the event and filed a $1.4 million claim for damages against the city in July 2024. Critics have likened Feucht's work to Christian nationalism, a term he believes the media weaponized against him.
Attorney Marshall Casey, representing Feucht, could not confirm if Feucht is aware of the ruling due to attorney-client privilege. The Center Square did not receive an immediate response after asking if Feucht is aware of the ruling.
As the legal battles continue, the city of Spokane is planning to remedy an unanticipated rise in claims by voting to backfill the Risk Management Fund with $500,000 from its reserves. The city's legal battles with Feucht and Shea have undoubtedly been costly and time-consuming, but the city seems determined to see them through to their conclusions.
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