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How Fox News is trying to kill Houston’s LGBT equal rights ordinance
Fox News helped turn a bogus story about subpoenas sent to a handful of Houston pastors into a national rallying cry for religious liberty. Now the network is helping promote an event that will pit some of the country’s most extreme anti-LGBT voices against the city’s nondiscrimination ordinance. In May, the city of Houston made history by enacting the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO), a measure that prohibits discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations on the basis of race, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, and several other categories…
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Houston withdraws subpoenas for Texas pastors’ speeches
HOUSTON — Houston city attorneys have withdrawn subpoenas that sought speeches and other information from five pastors who publicly opposed an ordinance banning discrimination of gay and transgender residents, the mayor said Wednesday.
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Houston mayor: ‘two moms’ caused daughter’s driver’s license woes
HOUSTON — Houston Mayor Annise Parker says her daughter faced difficulty in getting a Texas driver’s license because she listed two mothers as her parents on her application.
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Houston city attorneys change approach to sermon subpoenas
HOUSTON — Houston city attorneys are no longer seeking through subpoenas sermons from five pastors who publicly opposed an ordinance banning discrimination against gay and transgender residents. Mayor Annise Parker said Friday that the city was backing off the sermon request but would not withdraw the subpoenas, which seek other…
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Ted Cruz criticizes Houston subpoenas as ‘abuse of government power’
HOUSTON — U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz told congregants of his home church Thursday that the city of Houston abused power by subpoenaing sermons and other documents from pastors who publicly opposed a local ordinance banning discrimination against gay and transgender residents. Cruz, standing among more than a dozen clergy at First Baptist Church…
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Houston mayor Annise Parker on ‘short list’ for World’s Best Mayor award
Houston Mayor Annise Parker has made the official short list for the 2014 World Mayor Prize, an international contest for the best mayor in the world. The global honor is given to mayors who exemplify a host of leadership qualities such as honesty, leadership, vision, integrity, social and economic awareness and fostering good relations among …
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Opponents of Houston LGBT ordinance sue city after failed referendum attempt
HOUSTON — Opponents of Houston’s new protections for LGBT residents have sued the city after failing to collect enough votes for a repeal referendum. The Houston Chronicle reports the lawsuit filed late Tuesday contests how signatures were counted for the referendum petition. It claims City Attorney David Feldman illegally verified the signatures.
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Opponents of Houston equal rights ordinance fail to qualify for ballot
HOUSTON — Opponents of Houston’s LGBT-inclusive Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO) fell short of qualifying for a ballot referendum, Mayor Annise Parker announced Monday afternoon. The petition needed at least 17,269 valid signatures from registered Houston voters to put a repeal of the ordinance before voters in November.
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Opponents of Houston LGBT ordinance may fall short of qualifying for ballot
Houston city officials say they will announce Monday whether opponents of the city’s new LGBT-inclusive non-discrimination ordinance have obtained enough valid petition signatures to force a ballot referendum aimed at repealing the measure. But already, City Attorney David Feldman is hinting that many of the petitions submitted don’t meet legal…
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Vote on Houston LGBT anti-bias ordinance still possible
HOUSTON — Houston city leaders still don’t know whether opponents of new anti-bias protections for LGBT residents have enough signatures to force a repeal vote in November. The Houston City Council in May adopted the discrimination bans in housing, employment and services provided by private businesses such as hotels and restaurants. Critics contend …