Reverend's lawsuit against Ottawa County will move to discovery

OTTAWA COUNTY — A federal judge has denied Ottawa County’s motion to dismiss a First Amendment violation lawsuit filed by the Rev. Jared Cramer of Grand Haven in 2023, according to reporting from The Grand Haven Tribune.

In an opinion published Tuesday, July 2, Judge Jane Beckering, presiding over the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan, said the county’s arguments to dismiss Cramer’s complaints of religious discrimination “lacked merit.” She gave the county 21 days to respond to the lawsuit before it moves to discovery.

The county’s motion to dismiss Cramer’s allegation was based on claims the entity has a “practice of not discriminating against speakers on the basis of religion” and did not act in any way to harm Cramer.

In arguments for dismissal, the county said Cramer was “’never denied an opportunity to give a prayer or invocation” at a meeting and the suit was instead based on “assumptions ... (after) not receiving a timely response from Ottawa County.”

The motion also sought to dismiss Board Chair Joe Moss as a named defendant in the case, arguing he had qualified immunity. Beckering denied both requests.

Cramer’s attorney, Sarah Riley Howard, will next have an opportunity to collect evidence from the county, including calling on witnesses to give testimony under oath.

“We were gratified to receive the opinion today,” Howard said. “We think that the opinion is right and ... we are ready to get through discovery and be able to prove our case.”

Cramer works at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Grand Haven. He's been a vocal opponent of Ottawa Impact, the right-wing political action committee founded by Moss that now holds the majority of county commission seats. Cramer is also a “visible advocate for the inclusion of members of the LGBTQ+ community."

Cramer first sued the county in October 2023. The lawsuit alleges Moss purposefully withheld information about how individuals were selected to give prayer at the beginning of each county board meeting and was able to “punish religious leaders who do not share his political or religious beliefs.”

In his complaint, Cramer said his commissioner, Roger Bergman, said Moss had sole power over selecting those who give the twice-monthly prayer. Cramer tried to contact Moss, but both an email sent in May 2023 and a letter sent via certified mail in August went unanswered.

In November, Moss invited Cramer to give an invocation in February. This prompted an amended complaint, nothing Cramer was only contacted by the county to deliver a prayer after initiating litigation.

Cramer gave his invocation on Feb. 13. In it, he directly referenced previous actions of the board, including changing the county's motto and closing the DEI Department. He also prayed for members of the LGBTQ+ community "whose attempts to understand who they are have been maligned" and "increasingly don't feel safe, much less welcome," in the community.

"Above all, loving God, I pray that decency, love and justice would once more come to the forefront of how our county operates, how we treat one another and how those in power allocate resources and talk about vulnerable and marginalized groups," he said. "I know we can do better, God, if we open our hearts to your love and let that love transform us into agents of your healing."

During his prayer, OI-affiliated Commissioner Roger Belknap led a “one-man protest,” as noted in Beckering’s opinion, by placing a sign reading “thewaronchildren.com” in front of him.

The sign was a reference to the documentary “The War on Children” created by prominent right-wing activists Robby and Landon Starbuck, vitriolic critics of the LGBTQ+ community, according to a report from Rolling Stone.

Belknap later confirmed in an interview with The Grand Rapids Press he'd displayed the sign because Cramer was leading the prayer.

“It was really frustrating when the county argued they held no discriminatory intent towards my client’s religious beliefs, and then to see (Belknap) displaying discriminatory intention when he held up his sign and was allowed to do so by (Moss) when my client was giving the prayer,” Howard said.

“We are happy to move forward and vindicate my client’s rights,” Howard continued. “I feel like (discovery) is an important step forward to resolving this matter for my client and for the county.”

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In response to the lawsuit, Ottawa County created a new, non-discriminatory invocation policy in January, referenced in the municipality's motion to dismiss.

In March, The Satanic Temple of West Michigan requested to give an invocation under the new policy. Rev. Luis Cypher provided that invocation in April, sparking a massive turnout and protests.

The county has until July 23 to respond to Cramer’s complaint. After the county’s response has been filed, discovery will begin.

— The Sentinel’s Mitchell Boatman contributed to this report. Contact him at mboatman@hollandsentinel.com.