A pair of Christian activists are pleading poverty after failing to pay a $10,131 federal court judgment from their failed effort to return a Ten Commandments monument to a city park in Boise – and now the city has slapped a lien on “all real and personal property” owned by the two, the Rev. Bryan Fischer and Brandi Swindell. “This judgment will remain on your credit record until the debt is paid in full,” the city informed the two in a June 23 letter. “We urge you to contact us immediately to resolve this matter. If we do not hear from you by July 15, 2008, we will proceed against you to collect the amounts due, plus interest and costs.” Fischer posted an appeal for funds on his Idaho Values Alliance website today, complaining, “Ms. Swindell and I both work for small non-profit organizations and thus have limited means. The city of Boise, on the other hand, has an annual budget of $479 million, and thus is certainly in a position to waive this judgment.” U.S. District Judge Edward Lodge ordered the two to pay the $10,131 on April 8, 2004. The activists filed an appeal with the 9th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals, but the appeals court dismissed it on May 12, 2004.

---

---