CV NEWS FEED // The Catholic League issued a statement supporting Chick-Fil-A and called the New York lawmakers trying to require the restaurant to stay open on Sundays “rabid supporters” of anti-Christian values.
In a January 9 press release, Catholic League President Bill Donohue slammed Democratic Assemblyman Tony Simone and Democratic Senator Michelle Hinchey for their “contempt for traditional people of faith.”
As CatholicVote reported, Simone and Hinchey’s recently introduced bill would force Chick-Fil-A—a Christian-owned restaurant chain—to remain open on Sundays in locations along the New York Thruway.
The bill would require the restaurant to violate both its religious beliefs and its long-held policy of staying closed on Sunday. While the bill does not mention religion, Donohue wrote that “one would have to be delusional to think that Simone’s real target is not practicing Christians.”
According to Donohue, both Simone and Hinchey have long been advocates for abortion and LGBTQ rights, while Simone has campaigned for decriminalizing prostitution.
Donohue pointed out that Simone has openly criticized the fast food giant for its traditional Christian values, and also has sponsored over 40 bills that have nothing to do with “advancing religious liberty.”
“He insists that targeting Chick-fil-A has nothing to do with the Christian convictions of its chairman, Dan T. Cathy,” Donohue wrote. “Simone can repeat this refrain all day long but he cannot walk back a comment he made in late December.”
In December, Simone had told New York reporters that “not only does Chick-Fil-A have a long shameful history of opposing LGBTQ rights, it simply makes no sense for them to be a provider of food services in busy travel plazas.”
If the bill is passed, it would prohibit Chick-Fil-A from entering into future contracts with rest stops and travel plazas. The ten Chick-Fil-A locations along the New York Thruway currently in contracts would not be affected.
