Posted on 01/14/2015 10:40:46 AM PST by smokingfrog
A Texas judge has rejected the city of Houstons demand to deny a jury trial to pastors fighting a controversial transgender ordinance.
The ruling, released late Tuesday by Judge Robert Schaffer in the Harris County District Court in Houston, came in a case in which the city created a firestorm of controversy by issuing subpoenas for copies of pastors sermons.
In its latest motion, the city claimed the pastors have no right to a jury trial, contending the decision should be made by a hand-picked special master.
The pastors are opposing an ordinance adopted by lesbian Mayor Annise Parker and council members that creates protections for transgenders, allowing them to use city facilities designated for the opposite sex.
Opponents immediately launched a petition drive to overturn the ordinance. When the city secretary confirmed there were enough signatures to require either a reversal of the decision or an election, the mayor and her attorney, David Feldman, stepped in and simply ruled that tens of thousands of signatures were invalid.
A trial is scheduled to begin in a few weeks.
(Excerpt) Read more at wnd.com ...
Houston politics have been crazy for years. Anyone remember the odious mayor Kathy Whitmire aka Tootsie?
In its latest motion, the city claimed the pastors have no right to a jury trial, contending the decision should be made by a hand-picked special master.
At this point the Judge should have found the LAWYER in Contempt, jailed and fined him, then referred a complaint to the State Bar Association demanding immediate and permanent disbarment.
It’s gotta drive ‘em crazy that there’s not a single Dimocrat elected to statewide office here!
(We send the Sheila Whacko Lee types off to an appropriate place - Washington...)
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.