WASHINGTON, March 28, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- First Liberty Institute today sent a letter to United States Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao calling for an investigation into the City Council of San Antonio for religious discrimination after it excluded Chick-fil-A from participating in a contract. The letter asks whether city officials failed to comply with the assurances of nondiscrimination required as a federal grant recipient.
You can read the letter, here.
“Federal taxpayers should not be required to subsidize religious bigotry,” said Hiram Sasser, General Counsel to First Liberty Institute. “The city council cannot operate in a way that brazenly violates the Constitution and federal law, but if it chooses to, then the federal government should pull its grant.”
Last week, the City Council of San Antonio voted to approve a contract with Paradies Lagadère (“Paradies”) to operate certain concession space in the San Antonio International Airport. The council then agreed to City Councilman Roberto Treviño’s motion to approve the contract on condition Chick-fil-A be excluded.
In its letter, First Liberty says, “Given that the blatantly discriminatory statements by San Antonio city councilmembers against Chick-fil-A’s religious beliefs culminated in the discriminatory exclusion of Chick-fil-A from participating in the airport concession contract at issue, the Department of Transportation, and any other federal agency administering relevant grants, ought to fully investigate whether federal grant money is funding violations of these (or other) provisions of federal law.”
About First Liberty Institute
First Liberty Institute is a non-profit public interest law firm and the largest legal organization in the nation dedicated exclusively to defending religious freedom for all Americans.
To arrange an interview, contact Lacey McNiel at media@firstliberty.org or by calling 972-941-4453.
Contact:
Lacey McNiel
media@firstliberty.org
Direct: 972-941-4453