Chicago Politician Moves to Block Chick-fil-A Opening

The latest fallout from Chick-fil-A’s anti-gay-marriage announcement: A Chicago alderman is attempting to block the fast food chain's plans to come to his ward. The restaurant already got zoning for the location in the Logan Square neighborhood, but needs approval from the City Council to move forward. Alderman Joe Moreno is using “aldermanic privilege,” which means council members defer to his opinion when it comes to local issues, the Chicago Tribune explains. Moreno used the same tradition last year to block a Walmart.

"If you are discriminating against a segment of the community, I don't want you in the 1st Ward," Moreno told the Tribune, calling the views of the chain's top exec "bigoted" and "homophobic" and the exec himself ignorant. Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel is on the same side as Moreno, noting that "Chick-fil-A values are not Chicago values." The Tribune predicts Moreno’s decision will be popular in his "hipster," "increasingly trendy" ward. As for any First Amendment concerns, Moreno’s take: "You have the right to say what you want to say, but zoning is not a right." Fortunately for Chick-fil-A, Mike Huckabee is still on its side. (More Chick fil-A stories.)