San Antonio officials want to hide comments condemning Chick-fil-A

City officials in San Antonio, who discriminated against Christian-owned Chick-fil-A in their airport contracting, are trying to hide from the public their conversations now that they're under investigation for their behavior.

WND reported in December the chain with the famed cattle urging "Eat More Chikin" has been forecast to leap past Taco Bell, Burger King and Wendy's to become the third largest restaurant chain in the U.S.

The liberal hatred for the chain erupted when Dan Cathy, the son of founder S. Truett Cathy, said in an interview in 2012 he supports traditional marriage.

Since then, students on college campuses have demanded that the chain be banned, city officials in Toronto and Pittsburgh have worked against the company, and in San Antonio, officials approved an airport contracting agreement with the provision that Chick-fil-A be banned.

When news came of San Antonio's decision to single out Chick-fil-A,
First Liberty Institute asked Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao to investigate whether the city's rejection of the restaurant chain violated federal nondiscrimination law and would impact any grants.

City officials said they would refuse to allow a franchise in the airport because the company has donated to organizations such as the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, the Paul Anderson Youth Home and the Salvation Army.

Then First Liberty requested, under freedom of information laws, access to the San Antonio City Council's deliberations and comments on the issue.

In response, the city has asked the Texas attorney general for permission to conceal the information First Liberty is seeking.

A letter from Edward Guzman, deputy city attorney in San Antonio, asks the state for permission "to withhold documents from disclosure."

He cites dozens of sections of the Texas Government Code.

"What do San Antonio officials have to hide?" asked Keisha Russell, associate counsel to First Liberty. "Transparency is essential to ensuring public trust in government. Tolerant and inclusive city officials should have no reason to deny the public an opportunity to review how and why they make important decisions."

Lawyers for First Liberty had asked for public records, communications, notes or other documents produced by members of the San Antonio City Council or any employee or staff member relating to the contract or to Chick-fil-A.

The council voted in March to approve a contract with Paradies Lagadere to run concessions at the airport on the condition Chick-fil-A be excluded.

First Liberty's Hirma Sasser earlier said the city's decision to ban Chick-fil-A was "blatant, illegal religious discrimination."

"We want to know just how deep the religious animosity runs within San Antonio's city government. A tolerant and inclusive city should have nothing to hide," he said.

Councilman Roberto Treviño made the motion to approve the Food, Beverage, and Retail Prime Concession Agreement with Paradies Lagardère for the airport on condition Chick-fil-A be excluded from the agreement. He claimed Chick-fil-A has a "legacy of anti-LGBTQ behavior" and that such a business has no place in the city's airport.

First Liberty said disclosure of the information about the city's bias against Chick-fil-A is "in the public interest of ensuring that government entities respect the religious liberty of all Americans and abide by all relevant nondiscrimination laws."

Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, and National Rifle Association spokeswoman Dana Loesch were among the critics of the council's decision.