Chicago Alderman Holds Back On Approving Chick-fil-A Franchise After Chain’s Media Shenanigans

Last Thursday, Chick-fil-A issued a press release clarifying that, despite rumors to the contrary, it would continue to fund organizations with anti-gay agendas. In case there were any further doubts, president and COO Dan Cathy confirmed to Mike Huckabee that the restaurant “made no such concessions” in order to obtain permission to open a new restaurant in Chicago.

Chicago Alderman Joe Moreno (D) had previously said he would block Chick-fil-A because of these donations and policies, but last week expressed optimism that the restaurant had changed. Given the new revelations, Moreno is no longer sure he feels comfortable introducing the necessary legislation for the Chicago franchise to open:

MORENO: Dan Cathy decided to make a PUBLIC statement to Mike Huckabee that, at the least, muddied the progress we had made with Chick-fil-A and, at the worst, contradicted the documents and promises Chick-fil-A made to me and the community earlier this month. Since Mr.Cathy made a PUBLIC statement, I am PUBLICLY asking him to confirm and support what I was told and shown by his company representatives. [...]

Perhaps Mr. Cathy felt that he could make these public statements to Mike Huckabee because I had provided a letter of support for his restaurant to the City of Chicago earlier this week. I provided this letter based on the progress we had made with Chick-fil-A. I still need to introduce legislation to make the Chick-fil-A in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago a reality. I will wait to see what Mr. Cathy’s next PUBLIC statement is, and reflect on that statement before moving forward with appropriate legislation.

Chick-fil-A gives millions of dollars to anti-gay organizations — including hate groups and ex-gay therapy proponents — has no protections for LGBT employees, and Cathy has described same-sex marriage as “twisted up kind of stuff” that could only be left to a “deprived mind.”