Mayor Thomas M. Menino withdrew his threat to ban Chick-fil-A from Boston over the chicken chain president’s anti-gay marriage stance — but the Hub Democrat remained in the crosshairs of national conservatives, including former GOP presidential hopefuls Rick Santorum and Mike Huckabee.
“When I heard of the vicious hate speech and economic bullying being directed toward the (CEO Dan) Cathy family and their Chick-fil-A company, it was stunning. In the name of ‘tolerance’ a group was exercising extreme intolerance and trying to censor a citizen by threatening their business,” Huckabee told the Herald last night.
The former Arkansas governor also teed off on Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who echoed Menino in slamming the Atlanta-based chain over Cathy’s anti-gay-marriage statements.
“When mayors of major cities like Boston and Chicago actually became ‘wannabe tyrants’ and went on the record to say they would stop a business from opening in their city because they didn’t agree with the fact that the CEO of the company supported Biblical marriage, it was time to take a stand,” Huckabee’s statement read.
Huckabee, now a Fox News Channel host, also railed against Menino on his Facebook page and trumpeted support for an Aug. 1 nationwide “I Support Chick-Fil-A” rally. Huckabee’s page got so many hits yesterday it crashed briefly as thousands of Facebook users “liked” the posting.
“I’m thrilled that there have been over 250,000 people so far join with me to support Chick-fil-A but more importantly they are supporting the rights of all Americans to have freedom of speech and freedom of Faith,” Huckabee said in the statement.
Santorum, a former Pennsylvania senator who dropped out of the GOP race earlier this year, also backed Chick-fil-A.
“With two of my boys, enjoying chick-in-strips and an awesome peach shake at Chick-fil-A. See you here next Wednesday!” Santorum tweeted.
Exiled Boston Bruins goaltender Tim Thomas, who sparked controversy for skipping the team’s White House visit, also weighed in, writing on his Facebook page: “I stand with Chick-fil-A.”
Menino kicked up the coast-to-coast ruckus when he told the Herald last week “it will be very difficult” for Chick-fil-A to get licenses for a restaurant in Boston. The chain has been eyeing a pair of Hub sites.
The mayor yesterday backed off that threat, calling his quote a “mistake” and a “Menino-ism.”
“I sent (the landlord) a letter, but that’s all. There’s no pressure by me,” he said.
But in the letter — first obtained by the Herald — Menino blasted Cathy for “discrimination” against gays, and wrote, “I urge you to back out of your plans to locate in Boston.”
Civil rights experts say Menino’s hints of City Hall chicanery crossed a line — and could reap a lawsuit.
“It’s clearly unconstitutional for the city to deny permits based on a person’s opinions,” UCLA law professor Eugene Volokh said. “It opens the city up to criticism and even litigation.”
Local civil rights attorney Chester Darling said he’d “love to represent Chick-fil-A. I’d be in federal court in a New York minute.”
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