PICKET: Chicago GOP to file complaint against Rahm Emanuel over Chick fil A flap
By Kerry Picket
The Washington Times
PICKET: Chick fil A debate part of long list of religious freedom battles v. government
The Chicago Republican Party announced last week it would file a complaint with the Illinois Department of Human Rights and Attorney General Lisa Madigan over the discriminatory action by Alderman Proco (Joe) Moreno against the food chain Chick-fil-A.
The party is now expanding their complaint to cover Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel as well. According to a press release, the Chicago Republican Party says that "the complaint states that the Alderman and the Mayor have broken civil rights laws pertaining to religious freedom and the First Amendment in denying Chick fil A a permit to operate its business in the City of Chicago."
Following Chick fil A's CEO Dan Cathy's support of traditional marriage, Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia, and San Francisco liberal politicians spoke out against the food chain and threatened to block Chick fil A from opening any business or further businesses in their cities.
Mayor Rahm Emanuel said that Chick fil A's values were not "Chicago values."
WBEZ reported last week that Chicago's Moreno now wants Chick fil A to put into writing that it “won’t support any groups with a political agenda, including those with an anti-gay marriage stance” before he’ll consider allowing zoning rights to a Chick fil A restaurant in his ward.
"If they’re serious about that, and they’re willing to put that in writing and they’re willing to adopt that. I think those are the grounds where we can move forward," Moreno said.
"Chick-fil-A may have a pretty good case under the First Amendment if the city uses their religious or political beliefs as a basis for denying a business license or ability to do business in the city. That is the kind of thing that happens in fascist states," said Hans von Spakovsky, a Heritage Foundation senior legal fellow and former Justice Department attorney to the assistant attorney general for civil rights,
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