Posted on 10/15/2014 8:02:07 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Houston's embattled equal rights ordinance took another legal turn this week when it surfaced that city attorneys, in an unusual step, subpoenaed sermons given by local pastors who oppose the law and are tied to the conservative Christian activists that have sued the city.
Opponents of the equal rights ordinance are hoping to force a repeal referendum when they get their day in court in January, claiming City Attorney David Feldman wrongly determined they had not gathered enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot. City attorneys issued subpoenas last month during the case's discovery phase, seeking, among other communications, "all speeches, presentations, or sermons related to HERO, the Petition, Mayor Annise Parker, homosexuality, or gender identity prepared by, delivered by, revised by, or approved by you or in your possession."
The subpoenas were issued to several high-profile pastors and religious leaders who have been vocal in opposing the ordinance. The Alliance Defending Freedom has filed a motion on behalf of the pastors seeking to quash the subpoenas.
Plaintiff Jared Woodfill said the subpoena impinges on protected religious freedoms.
"This is the city trampling on the First Amendment rights of pastors in their churches," Woodfill said.
Why would they want copies of sermons that mention the mayor? This is intimidation pure and simple, and a fishing expedition. What do they expect to find that has to do with the referendum?
(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...
Timely DVD coming out soon. https://livingwaters-1568.wedid.it/
“Come and take it” sounds like an appropriate response...
( Parker and Hubbard were married in Palm Springs, California )
It is because of these events that Texas may be in trouble of going Blue, or at least being heavily targeted by the Rats. The big cities are the cancer that need to be “managed”. Let’s see how this gets handled and how well it is supported.
It would appear that Black ministers are not being asked to produce their sermons, only ministers from larger congregations whose pastors are some version of white. Haven’t heard whether either 1st or 2nd Baptist is on this list. Ed Young from 2nd Baptist does preach on TV and perhaps the City attorney just chose to watch it through that source. /s/ Assume Osteen would not be asked because he is also on TV and he doesn’t take a position on anything at all controversial.
Black ministers have been very outspoken about their opposition to this ordinance which is interesting because Sheila Jackson Lee is their Congressional Representative and you know that she strongly supports the Mayor’s position on all issues.
Thanks - I assumed it was all ministers who had backed the recall.
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