Sen. Lindsey Graham promised to introduce legislation to counter New York’s proposed bill to remove the popular restaurant chain Chick-fil-A from its rest areas because it does not open on Sundays. The decision sparked immediate controversy, with Graham going so far as to call it a “war.”
New York is currently considering a bill that would prohibit any restaurant, not open seven days a week from operating on its highway rest stops. Should the bill pass, this would effectively ban Chick-fil-A from the New York State Thruway.
“This is war,” the senator wrote on social media. He continued, writing that if the bill passed, he would introduce legislation “withholding federal funds from any city or state that requires” the restaurant be open on Sunday.
He said that the Empire State is “off base and their actions will not go unanswered.”
He further wrote that attempting to force the brand to open on the Christian holy day “flies in the face of who we are as Americans.” Graham further praised Chick-fil-A as a “great company with thousands of locations serving the public with a quality product and taking care of their employees.”
The controversy stems from a bill introduced by several members of the New York State legislature. State Assemblyman Tony Simone (D) said that “things should be open seven days a week, including Chick-fil-A, and if they can’t they shouldn’t be in our rest stops.”
He said that there “should be options” and not just one establishment.
“It simply makes no sense for any provider of food services in these busy travel plazas to be closed on Sundays,” the legislator said.
Simone referenced the company’s position on LGBT issues, which he called “terrible.”
He added that Chick-fil-A “can just simply change their policy and open up on Sundays.”
Following his statement on X, formerly known as Twitter, Graham traveled to new York, writing that he wanted to send a “clear message.”
“Hands off OUR Chick-Fil-A!” he wrote.
As if the insanity by the left couldn’t get any worse, Democrats in New York are trying to force @ChickfilA to open on Sundays…
I showed up to their Manhattan location today while visiting NYC to send a clear message:
Hands off OUR Chick-Fil-A!
Join me in this fight ⬇️… pic.twitter.com/Qe1oqhGF1y
— Lindsey Graham (@LindseyGrahamSC) December 22, 2023
The photo showed him in front of the popular chicken restaurant.
