Houston's mayor withdrew subpoenas served to five local pastors.
Annise Parker, Houston’s first openly homosexual mayor, revoked subpoenas that were sent to five local pastors earlier this month. The subpoenas evoked strong disagreement from various groups of various standpoints throughout the nation, many claiming that the subpoenas violated the First Amendment.
“After much contemplation and discussion, I am directing the city legal department to withdraw the subpoenas issued to the five Houston pastors who delivered the petitions, the anti-HERO petitions, to the city of Houston and who indicated that they were responsible for the overall petition effort,” Parker said in a press release.
The subpoenas were served to the pastors in response to their opposition towards HERO, or Houston Equal Rights Ordinance, and requested that they turn over all sermons, or “speeches,” to the city. One of the more vocal defenders of the pastors was the Alliance Defending Freedom, a conservative Christian organization.
Erik Stanley, senior legal counsel for Alliance Defending Freedom, said in a statement, “We are gratified that the First Amendment rights of the pastors have triumphed over government overreach and intimidation. The First Amendment protects the right of pastors to be free from government intimidation and coercion of this sort.”
HERO is also known as the Bathroom Bill, since it is believed that the ordinance would allow for transgender individuals to enter whichever gender bathroom.
“I always supported the right of clergy to say what they want even if I disagree with them … It was never our intention to interfere with any members of the clergy and their congregants in terms of sermons, in terms of preaching what they believe is the word of the God that they serve. ... My whole purpose is to defend a strong and wonderful and appropriate city ordinance against local attack,” said Parker.
Those opposed to the ordinance signed a petition months ago, but it was denied on grounds that many of the signatures were not valid. There will be trial for a final decision regarding the validity of the petition this January.
