D.C. Metro Hit With First Amendment Suit For Refusing to Run Catholic Christmas Ad

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1. The ad sounds OK with me (I'm Buddhist)

In the current case, the archdiocese was attempting to purchase space on buses and at bus stops for its "Find the Perfect Gift" campaign.
The ads in question are fairly minimalist, showing a starry sky, the silhouettes of shepherds, the slogan, and the campaign's web address and hashtag.
According to the lawsuit, the goal "is to encourage individuals to seek spiritual gifts during this Christmas season, and to offer members of the community public service opportunities
to serve our most 5 vulnerable neighbors in the winter months when many material needs increase and become more challenging."

That, apparently, was too controversial for D.C. commuters.
When the archdiocese contacted Jack Costello, a third-party vendor that contracts with Metro, he told them that the ads would not comply with Metro guidelines.

"Costello had mentioned that if the advertisement had a commercial purpose, such as selling goods or services, then the advertisement would be more likely to comply," the lawsuit states.