A group of Nevada County commissioners allowed a Satanist to open their meeting with a religious ceremony earlier this week.

Jason Miller, founder of Reno Satanic, delivered an invocation before the Washoe County Commission on Tuesday that began by praising “the name of the eternal rebel against tyrannical authority” and ended with “Hail, Satan.”

One commissioner, Clara Andriola, stormed out of the meeting in protest at the request.

Since the summer of 2023, Andriola has advocated adding prayers to the beginning of meetings.

The goal was to open the service to faith leaders. However, because of the county's interpretation of legal compliance, anyone, religious or not, could make an invocation.

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“Federal law says you don’t have to open your floor for calls,” said Nate Edwards of the Washoe County District Attorney’s Office. “If you open your floor to calls, federal law requires you to give everyone the opportunity to sign up.”

And that's exactly what Miller did.

He “prayed” that commission members would be guided by “nobility and justice in the decisions made in this chamber today” and that they would “act with power in assuming the responsibility that lies before us before this body today.” .

Miller also praised freedom of speech, intellectual inquiry, and the beauty of the natural world in his prayer to Satan. “For our liberation, here and now is our day of joy. Here and now is our chance,” he continued.

Andriola and other public commenters expressed that they did not appreciate his comments.

“I completely disagreed with the moderator of the call today,” she told the public. “I would encourage our entire faith community to contact the county administrator’s office to be considered for an invocation.”

“We are one nation under God. We said that in the promise. We are not one nation under Satan, the evil one,” Penny Brock told KTVN-TV.

Others agreed with Miller's presentation.

“I think that was the hope that it would put people at the center and make them think about the larger world around us and how these decisions impact our community,” Commission Chair Alexis Hill said.

“As long as you don't say anything profane, inappropriate or disruptive, you're absolutely free to speak… and he followed those rules,” she added.

Former commission candidate and chief sheriff's deputy Tom Green said in public comments that he strongly opposed the appointment, but he was not surprised by the message.

“We know there is a battle for the soul of this nation, a battle between light and darkness, a battle between good and evil,” he said. “This fight is happening at every level of the nation, so why shouldn’t it be happening in Washoe County?”