Federal judge finds landmark restoration grant constitutional

[JURIST] A judge in the US District Court for the Central District of Illinois [official website] on Tuesday ruled that the state did not unconstitutionally advocate religion by financially contributing to the restoration of the Bald Knob Cross of Peace [official website]. The court rejected [AP report] an argument that the $20,000 grant constituted a legislative earmark, thereby violating the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment [text] by directing state funds to support religion. Judge Michael McCuskey held that the…