Out Gay Legislators Demand No Chick-fil-A on the New York Thruway

Chick-fil-A has a history of donating to anti-LGBTQ causes. Even after the company promised to discontinue the practice, The Daily Beast reported in June that the company is "amongst a group of conservative high rollers who are funding the National Christian Charitable Foundation (NCF), the nation's sixth-largest charity who are spearheading an effort to derail the Equality Act."

But now the company's anti-LGBTQ stance may lead to their being excluded from a lucrative deal to have the fast-food chain be part of a plan by the New York State Thruway Authority for update rest stop concessions, reports LGBTQ Nation.

"Chick-fil-A, like the competing chicken chain Popeyes, are approved as potential tenants. Popeye's, however, doesn't have the same history of supporting anti-LGBTQ causes," reports LGBTQ Nation.

"'Chick-fil-A, through the charitable wing of its business, has a history of donating millions of dollars to organizations that are discriminatory and anti-LGBTQ organizations,'�Democratic Rochester-area Assembly member Harry Bronson said," reports Fox Business.

"Bronson is now launching a petition against adding Chick-fil-A restaurants at rest stops along I-90 as part of the Thruway Authority's $450 million service-state modernization project."
He joined three openly gay Democratic legislators�in sending a letter denouncing the plans to the executive director of the New York State Thruway Authority, Matthew Driscoll.

"It's on state thruway authority property and they are leasing it, so it's in essence the state saying, 'We are going to offer them an opportunity for them to earn millions and millions of dollars,' even though we know what the history is," Bronson added.�

The Thruway Authority responded that no tax or toll dollars are involved with the deal and stressed that they�"support an inclusive environment that treats the tens of millions of people that travel our system with dignity and respect."

Chick-fil-A told Fox News that the wildly popular chain is "excited about the partnership" with New York and added that the company does not have a political agenda.

"We want to be clear that Chick-fil-A does not have a political or social agenda, and we welcome everyone in our restaurants. We are proud to be represented by more than 200,000 diverse team members nationwide, and we strive to be a positive influence in our local communities," Chick-fil-A, Inc. said in a statement.�