Americans United attorneys have written to government officials. (People & Events).

Americans United attorneys have written to government officials in Crestview, Fla., warning them not to follow through with a plan to post the Ten Commandments on city property.

City residents in November approved a non-binding referendum calling on the community to display the Ten Commandments, the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights on town property and to use public funds to defend the display in the event of a legal challenge.

Since the referendum was non-binding, the AU legal team advised Kathleen Bowman, president of the Crestview City Council, and other council members not to erect the display. Bowman had earlier backed the proposal, calling it "a reminder of God's law." Another council member, Brenda Bush, said the display would be a way to "honor Him" referring to God.

These comments, AU attorneys asserted, are evidence of a religious motivation for the display. In a Dec. 4 letter to the council, AU Legal Director Ayesha N. Khan and Legal Fellow Kerry Kornblatt Jowers noted that the council originally planned to display the Ten Commandments alone and only proposed adding the other documents when church-state concerns were raised.

"The statements of Council members, together with the belated addition of other "historical documents," makes the City's unconstitutional purpose clear" wrote Khan and Jowers.