Chick-fil-A is now serving up more than just chicken and fries. The Georgia-based fast food chain is at the center of some heated politics and the DMV area hasn’t escaped the controversy
In case you missed it, here’s a quick rundown of what’s been unfolding with Chick-Fil-A these last couple weeks: The company’s president, Dan Cathy, said in The Baptist Press that his family-owned company is against same-sex marriages and is supportive of the biblical definition of the family unit. This sparked outrage from the left and some big city mayors, including Mayor Vincent Gray, who said the food chain is not welcome in their cities. In response, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, said the company has a right to its own beliefs and called for people around the country to eat at a Chick-fil-A Wednesday to show their support as part of Chick-Fil-A Appreciation Day.
And that brings us to yesterday, when thousands of people lined up to eat at Chick-Fil-As across the country to show their support.
In Maryland, The Post reports that customers packed a Chick-Fil-A in Prince George’s County. A manager of a chain in Carroll County, according to the Carroll County Times, said she expected a 12-15 percent boost in sales Wednesday.
Washington Times Communities has a report of the packed crowds at a restaurant in Fairfax.
"Their place of business saw traffic from both directions backed up several blocks on Lee Highway, people parking at other establishments across the busy highway and then hiking over 6-8 lanes of traffic to the restaurant, and many just walking over with strollers, bikes, etc."
Things were relatively quiet in D.C. because the only location Chick-Fil-A has in the District is on the grounds of Catholic University (There is also a new Chick-Fil-A food truck). On Twitter recently, Mayor Gray said he would not welcome the chain in to the city and referred to its food as “hate chicken.”
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On the other side, Viriginia Gov. Bob McDonnell this week defended the company’s traditional values and its right to sell food.
"I love chicken. If we start having governments issue permits or zoning changes, or withholding those because of someone's political or religious beliefs, we are going down a very bad road. I think people have an ability to start and grow a business regardless of their political beliefs," he said on WTOP's Ask the Governor.
IN OTHER NEWS:
A new Post poll found that District residents support a plan 2 to 1 to improve taxi service funded by a small per-ride surcharge.
* Federal and state officials have officially denounced the board overseeing the Dulles Rail project as “dysfunctional.”
* Capitol Hemp isn’t closing just yet.
* President Obama will speak in Loudoun County tonight and the Romney campaign confirmed that Virginia would be part of the Republican’s upcoming bus tour.
* Ryan Nobles of NBC12 writes that even though Virginia AG Ken Cuccinelli has not made a move to prevent the health care mandate from being implemented, a group of activists showed up outside his office anyways to let him know that they like the mandate.
* Cuccinelli has issued an advisory opinion that judges may not order felons to serve jail time on weekends or nonconsecutive days.
* Montgomery County House delegates are set to meet Thursday night to talk about the upcoming special legislative session on gambling expansion.
* Maryland Reporter writes that the state’s Board of Public Works approved the sale of more than $700 million in general obligation bonds Wednesday at historic low interest rates of about 2.16%.
