A powerful New York politician claims she was just speaking as a private citizen when she tried to run Chick-fil-A out of town, but she used her official letterhead and even invoked her position as City Council speaker to apply pressure on the embattled chicken chain.
New York City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, who has mayoral aspirations, sent a letter to New York University president John Sexton on Saturday asking the school to immediately end their contract with the fast food restaurant. The Atlanta-based company’s sole New York City outlet is in the school’s food court.
“I write as the Speaker of the NYC Council, and on behalf of my family. NYC is a place where we celebrate diversity. We do not believe in denigrating others. We revel in the diversity of all our citizens and their families,” the letter begins.
“Let me be clear ‐‐ I do not want establishments in my city that hold such discriminatory views,” Quinn, an open lesbian who recently married her longtime partner, also wrote in the letter. “We are a city that believes our diversity is our greatest strength and we will fight anything and anyone that runs counter to that.”
“As such I urge you to sever your relationship with the Chick‐fil‐A establishment that exists on your campus,” the speaker added.
The letter has drawn the ire from others on the council.
“She can write to someone as a council member, but if she states that she is writing as the Speaker it can only be on behalf of the entire council. She has to have the unanimous vote of the council, and I don’t recall voting on this matter,” City Councilman Peter Vallone (D-Queens) told FoxNews.com. “A stance on gay marriage is in no way a forum to prevent someone form running a business in a community.
“If we allow something like this, then the next letter might be considering someone’s view on abortion.”
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