The lawsuit, filed Tuesday and signed by former Solicitor General Paul Clement, claims the ad “conveys a simple message of hope, and an invitation to participate in the Christmas season,” the archdiocese said in a statement.
According to the church’s lawsuit, Metro denied these ads through a lawyer because it “depicts a religious scene and thus seeks to promote religion.”
The suit asks a judge to throw out Metro’s ad guidelines regarding religion and award the church attorneys’ fees and costs.
In an emailed statement, Metro spokeswoman Sherri Ly said the transit agency changed its advertising policy in 2015 to prohibit “issue-oriented advertising, including political, religious and advocacy advertising. The ad in question was declined because it is prohibited by WMATA’s current advertising guidelines.”
