Emanuel Clarifies Chick-fil-A Stance as Republicans File Complaint

(WASHINGTON) -- As people lined up all across the country on Wednesday to show their support for Chick-fil-A restaurants, the Chicago Republican Party showed its opposition to statements by Mayor Rahm Emanuel about the popular food chain.

More than 630,000 supporters signed up to celebrate Chick-fil-A Appreciation Day, which former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee created to counter a boycott launched by gay marriage activists last week after CEO Dan Cathy said he was "guilty as charged" for not supporting gay marriage.

Emanuel has come out saying the restaurant's "values are not Chicago values."

The Chicago Republican Party made a formal complaint against Emanuel on Wednesday, alleging that the mayor has "broken civil rights laws pertaining to religious freedom and the First Amendment in denying Chick-fil-A a permit to operate its business in the City of Chicago."

Emanuel's press secretary clarified that the mayor does not intend to block Chick-fil-A from opening its first free-standing location in Chicago.

"If they meet all the usual requirements, then they can open their restaurant, but he does not believe the CEO's values are reflective of our city," mayoral spokesman Tarrah Cooper said on Tuesday, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.

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