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Houston city attorneys subpoena sermons from pastors opposed to rights law
American Thinker ^ | 10/15/2014 | Rick Moran

Posted on 10/15/2014 8:02:07 AM PDT by SeekAndFind

Conservative Christian pastors in Houston who opposed an equal rights ordinance had their sermons and other private communications subpoenaed by city attorneys fighting to keep a repeal referendum off the ballot.

Houston Chronicle:

Houston's embattled equal rights ordinance took another legal turn this week when it surfaced that city attorneys, in an unusual step, subpoenaed sermons given by local pastors who oppose the law and are tied to the conservative Christian activists that have sued the city.

Opponents of the equal rights ordinance are hoping to force a repeal referendum when they get their day in court in January, claiming City Attorney David Feldman wrongly determined they had not gathered enough valid signatures to qualify for the ballot. City attorneys issued subpoenas last month during the case's discovery phase, seeking, among other communications, "all speeches, presentations, or sermons related to HERO, the Petition, Mayor Annise Parker, homosexuality, or gender identity prepared by, delivered by, revised by, or approved by you or in your possession."

The subpoenas were issued to several high-profile pastors and religious leaders who have been vocal in opposing the ordinance. The Alliance Defending Freedom has filed a motion on behalf of the pastors seeking to quash the subpoenas.

Plaintiff Jared Woodfill said the subpoena impinges on protected religious freedoms.

"This is the city trampling on the First Amendment rights of pastors in their churches," Woodfill said.

Why would they want copies of sermons that mention the mayor? This is intimidation pure and simple, and a fishing expedition. What do they expect to find that has to do with the referendum?


(Excerpt) Read more at americanthinker.com ...


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Government; News/Current Events; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: 1moretime; anniseparker; firstamendment; freepmuch; homosexualagenda; houston; irs501c3; sermons; texas
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1 posted on 10/15/2014 8:02:07 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
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To: SeekAndFind

For those who don’t know what the ordinance contains:

The ordinance would, among other things, make it illegal for a business to deny entry to a restroom of a transgender person.


2 posted on 10/15/2014 8:03:03 AM PDT by SeekAndFind (If at first you don't succeed, put it out for beta test.)
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To: SeekAndFind

Refuse! Let her put them in jail! If anything, it will blow up in her face.


3 posted on 10/15/2014 8:05:25 AM PDT by struggle
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To: SeekAndFind

The idea is a “slap suit”

Houston does not care about winning or losing. It is about silencing opposition before the election.

(see Christians vs lions etc.)

There should be PERSONAL sanctions against the city lawyers.


4 posted on 10/15/2014 8:08:06 AM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: SeekAndFind

Liberals are trying to find the crime.

Pure intimidation - but the threat of jail helps.


5 posted on 10/15/2014 8:08:30 AM PDT by goldstategop (In Memory Of A Dearly Beloved Friend Who Lives In My Heart Forever)
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To: struggle

disbar the lawyers and send a better message. Make such suits too dangerous for bureaucrats.


6 posted on 10/15/2014 8:08:57 AM PDT by longtermmemmory (VOTE! http://www.senate.gov and http://www.house.gov)
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To: SeekAndFind

Interesting - but not surprising - that Black ministers are not among those who have to produce sermon notes. Wonder how many of them would attest to the fact that their very own CONGRESSWOMAN Sheila Jackson Lee is often in their presence and offers her own “words of wisdom” from the pulpit.


7 posted on 10/15/2014 8:13:35 AM PDT by Grams A (The Sun will rise in the East in the morning and God is still on his throne.)
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To: SeekAndFind

If you want to hear the sermons, GO TO CHURCH.


8 posted on 10/15/2014 8:14:55 AM PDT by VRWCmember
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To: SeekAndFind

And the hippies thought they were under oppression during the 60’s.....”Living in Amerikaaaaaa....”


9 posted on 10/15/2014 8:15:58 AM PDT by NRA1995 (I'd rather be a living "gun culture" member than a dead anti-gun candy-ass.)
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To: SeekAndFind

It is important to note what the “Rights Law” that caused this controversy allows. This “Rights Law” allows people entry into public restrooms based on the gender they want to be rather than the gender they actually are.


10 posted on 10/15/2014 8:16:19 AM PDT by SSS Two
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To: SeekAndFind

Very interesting. Thanks for posting.


11 posted on 10/15/2014 8:17:59 AM PDT by PGalt
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To: SeekAndFind

As usual, the rats neglect to consider the repercussions of their actions in this matter.

For a long time, the rats have depended on Black Pastors in major cities to “get out the vote” for them, coordinating every election season and providing them plenty of walking-around money. This activity has gone unchallenged, mainly due to squeamishness on the part of the gutless Republicans to confront fraud, and also on the basis of not wishing to breach the walls of Free Expression in such a way. Bringing the power of Government to breach the walls of Church freedoms is a pretty strong move, not to be taken lightly.

Now that it is done, and done by the “tolerant” left, the wall is breached. Precedent is a bitch...


12 posted on 10/15/2014 8:18:31 AM PDT by BrewingFrog (I brew, therefore I am!)
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To: SeekAndFind

The pastors should ban together and offer to publish their sermons if the local press will print them in their entirety.


13 posted on 10/15/2014 8:19:35 AM PDT by DannyTN
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To: SeekAndFind

And the homo end game begins...


14 posted on 10/15/2014 8:29:25 AM PDT by Common Sense 101
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To: SeekAndFind

Someone should write a sermon on the first amendment and send it to the witch.


15 posted on 10/15/2014 8:32:29 AM PDT by SaraJohnson
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To: SeekAndFind

Racism!!!!! Oh wait, only gays are a protected class in Houston now. Sorry, blacks, get in the back of the bus with the white guys.


16 posted on 10/15/2014 8:32:50 AM PDT by WhyisaTexasgirlinPA (Tactical Firearms,Katy Tx: "the two enemies of guns, rust and politicians")
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To: Grams A

I haven’t read everything but are you saying the black ministers are not being asked to produce their sermons and emails? I saw a hispanic minister on tv last night who has been given the order.


17 posted on 10/15/2014 8:34:43 AM PDT by WhyisaTexasgirlinPA (Tactical Firearms,Katy Tx: "the two enemies of guns, rust and politicians")
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To: SeekAndFind

Is the city of houston going to require Ministers to submit copies of all their sermons? Is the city going to require the sermons be submitted for approval before they can be delivered? Who will be on the committee to approve sermons? CAIR, LGBT, atheist, satanist, the DNC?


18 posted on 10/15/2014 8:38:12 AM PDT by duffee (Dump the Chairman of the Mississippi Republican Party, joe nosef.)
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Cross linking some other threads for references;

houston lgbt mayor has every legal right to prosecute christian churches for political activity ^

City of Houston subpoenas pastors' sermons to see if they're criticizing lesbian mayor ^

City of Houston demands pastors turn over sermons ^

Houston Demands Oversight of Sermons! ^

19 posted on 10/15/2014 8:42:59 AM PDT by deport
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To: duffee

RE: Is the city of houston going to require Ministers to submit copies of all their sermons?

Well if they do, they’re just emulating what the ChiComs have been doing for years with their — THREE SELF-CHURCHES.

In China however, the fastest growing churches are the underground churches. Pretty soon, Houston might have lots of them if this travesty is not overturned.


20 posted on 10/15/2014 8:57:34 AM PDT by SeekAndFind (If at first you don't succeed, put it out for beta test.)
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