By Hunter Walker 8/06/12 9:19am

food fight

Russell Gallo (Photo: Twitter)

Assembly Candidate Encourages Chick-Fil-A To Come To Brooklyn

New York’s only branch of the controversial fried chicken sandwich chain Chick-Fil-A is located in an NYU cafeteria, but if a self-proclaimed Tea Partier running for State Assembly has his way  the restaurant will soon set up shop in South Brooklyn. As a response to City Council Speaker Christine Quinn’s letter asking NYU to close the campus Chick-Fil-A after the owner of the chain declared his opposition to same-sex marriage, Mr. Gallo sent a letter of his own. Mr. Gallo wrote to Dan Cathy, the president of Chick-Fil-A, saying, “I would like to invite your company to consider opening a Chick-Fil-A restaurant in southern Brooklyn.”

“I want you to know that Ms. Quinn does not speak for all New Yorkers. I and many of my neighbors agree with your views on traditional family units. But more importantly, I’m sure we all could agree that no one in government should tell anyone what to believe, who to support and how to spend our money,” Mr. Gallo wrote. Read More

By Hunter Walker 8/03/12 1:34pm

Campaign 2012

Mitt Romney (Photo: Getty)

Mitt Romney Doesn’t Want To Discourage Michele Bachmann From Her Crusade Against Huma Abedin [Video]

Congresswoman Michele Bachmann’s efforts to tie Huma Abedin, an aide to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the wife of former Congressman Anthony Weiner, to the Muslim Brotherhood have drawn rebukes from several of her fellow Republicans. However, Mitt Romney said he didn’t want to tell Ms. Bachmann what she can and can’t say when a reporter asked him about the controversy following an event in Nevada today.  Read More

By Colin Campbell 8/01/12 8:41am

eat mor chikin

(Photo: Getty)

Thompson Sides With Bloomberg Over Quinn on Important Chick-fil-A Issue

Former Comptroller Bill Thompson doesn’t exactly see eye-to-eye with Council Speaker — and 2013 mayoral rival — Christine Quinn when it comes to whether Chick-fil-A restaurants are acceptable in New York City. Over the weekend, Ms. Quinn declared the business “not welcome” in the five boroughs and used official government letterhead urging New York University to give the boot to the city’s one Chick-fil-A restaurant due to the president of the company speaking out and investing in campaigns against gay marriage, but on Inside City Hall last night, Mr. Thompson declined to condemn the company’s existence.

“I’ve been a longtime supporter of marriage equality,” Mr. Thompson prefaced his comments on the issue, adding that he was “offended and disgusted” by the head of Chick-fil-A. “I might go out and help to protest just in the same way as if someone uttered a racist comment. I’d go out and help and picket and protest and bring attention and raise my voice also and say that this is wrong.”

Despite all that, Mr. Thompson said he sides with Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who defended the restaurant himself last week, adding, “I guess I agree a bit with the mayor in that.” Read More

By Hunter Walker 7/30/12 3:01pm

food fight

Rep. Allen West (Photo: West.House.gov)

Allen West: ‘I Want To Try To Open Up A Chick-Fil-A Franchise’

Florida Congressman Allen West  had a rather interesting response to Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s threats to block the fast food chain Chick-Fil-A from opening a restaurant in the Windy City due to the CEO, Dan Cathy’s, admission he doesn’t support same-sex marriage. Mr. West brought up the Chick-Fil-A controversy during an interview with CNBC’s Rick Santelli today on the floor of the Chicago Board of Trade.

“I had to come up from down South because I wanted to try to open up a Chick-Fil-A franchise here in Chicago,” said Mr. West.

However, it doesn’t seem like the congressman is really putting his money where his mouth is. Read More

By Colin Campbell 7/28/12 2:10pm

eat les chikin

Chik-Fil-A_cow-eat-mor-chikin

Quinn Breaks With Bloomberg Over Chick-fil-A: ‘Not Welcome’ in NYC

City Council Speaker Christine Quinn, a leading mayoral contender in 2013, is often on the same business-friendly page as Mayor Michael Bloomberg, but when it comes to the now-controversial remarks against gay marriage made by the head of a fast food chain based in Georgia, they’re on decidedly different sides of the issue.

During a radio interview yesterday morning, Mr. Bloomberg said that the views expressed by the owner of a business should not impact government policies, and declared the idea of blocking Chick-fil-A establishments in the city, “a bad idea and it’s not going to happen.”

This morning, however, Ms. Quinn’s office sent out a press release announcing a petition calling on the president of Chick-fil-A, Dan Cathy, to apologize for his “repugnant and un-American” comments and discriminatory views. Read More

By Colin Campbell 7/27/12 9:18am

eat mor chikin

Chik-Fil-A_cow-eat-mor-chikin

Mayor Bloomberg: Chick-fil-A Ban ‘Not Going to Happen’ in NYC

Despite Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s advocacy for a healthier diet and strong support for gay marriage, he’s cold on the idea of banning Chick-fil-A within the five boroughs.

As mayors around the country — including Boston’s, Chicago’s and San Francisco’s — are backing efforts to keep the fast food chain out of their cities due to the company’s president, Dan Cathy, spending millions to push back against gay marriage, Mr. Bloomberg said it’s “a bad idea and it’s not going to happen” on John Gambling’s radio show this morning. Read More

By Hunter Walker 5/12/12 12:14pm

Love & Marriage

Mitt Romney (Photo: Getty)

Mitt Romney Praises Anti-Gay Activists In Commencement Speech

In a commencement speech at Liberty University  this morning Mitt Romney praised anti-gay pastor Jerry Falwell and the founder of Chick-fil-A, a fast food chain that has donated millions to anti-gay groups. Falwell, who passed away in 2007, was the founder of Liberty University and an outspoken opponent of homosexuality.

“In his 73 years of life, Dr. Falwell left a big mark,” Mr. Romney said today. “The calling Jerry answered was not an easy one.  Today we remember him as a courageous and big-hearted minister of the Gospel who never feared an argument, and never hated an adversary.  Jerry deserves the tribute he would have treasured most, as a cheerful, confident champion for Christ.” Read More