Drama Surrounding Texas AG Ken Paxton, City Of San Antonio And Barring Of Chick-Fil-A At Airport Continues
SAN ANTONIO (CBSDFW.COM) - The back and forth between Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton and the City of San Antonio over the barring of a Chick-fil-A restaurant inside the San Antonio International Airport continues.
The latest incident began over the weekend, during a television news interview, when Paxton announced that after a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inquiry the restaurant was now being offered a lease at the airport. The AG even doubled down on the statement in a press release Monday morning.
But San Antonio City Attorney Andy Segovia said, "The FAA has not ordered the City of San Antonio to have Chick-Fil-A at its airport. The City itself offered to resolve the FAA investigation informally following Chick-Fil-A's publicly stated change-of-position on its charitable giving policy."
It was last year when Paxton requested that Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao open an investigation into the city of San Antonio's potential violation of federal law and regulations when it banned Chick-fil-A from operating at the airport.
The City said it took the stance because of the company's religious beliefs, City Attorney Segovia maintains that at no point did the City discriminate against the restaurant chain. He says the ultimate placement of a Chick-Fil-A at the San Antonio Airport is contingent on the approval by the City Council.
Meanwhile Paxton is still claiming victory saying, "This is a win for religious liberty in Texas and I strongly commend the FAA and the City of San Antonio for reaching this resolution. To exclude a respected vendor based on religious beliefs is the opposite of tolerance and is inconsistent with the Constitution, Texas law, and Texas values."
The renewed drama comes almost one month after the Texas 4th Court of Appeals handed the City of San Antonio a victory, declaring that a group of conservative activists had no grounds to sue the City over the council's refusal to allow the restaurant at the airport.