Attorney General Ken Paxton today sent a second letter to the mayor and council members for the City of San Antonio, making an open records request for documents related to the Office of the Attorney General’s investigation of the City’s decision to exclude Chick-fil-A from the San Antonio International Airport.
In the letter, Attorney General Paxton requests public records revealing communications between councilmembers, city employees, and third parties that discuss the inclusion or exclusion of Chick-fil-A in the concessionaire contract for the airport. The request also seeks calendars, records of councilmember meetings regarding the contract, and any internal communications among city employees about the inclusion or exclusion of Chick-fil-A from the concessionaire contract.
“The decision to discriminate against any vendor based on religious beliefs associated with the company and its owners flies in the face of the Constitution and Texas law,” Attorney General Paxton said. “I look forward to reviewing the City of San Antonio’s records explaining why the City Council targeted this respected restaurant chain for exclusion from the City’s concessionaire contract for the international airport.”
On March 28, Attorney General Paxton sent a letter to the mayor and city council members of San Antonio announcing an investigation regarding their decision. In a separate letter, Attorney General Paxton also urged to Secretary Elaine Chao of the United States Department of Transportation to open an investigation into the City of San Antonio’s potential violation of federal law and Transportation Department regulations. The First Amendment protects individuals and closely held companies from governmental restrictions based on their religious views or status. Additionally, federal regulations governing grant money provided to the San Antonio airport prohibit religious discrimination.
View a copy of the letter here.