The conservative effort to repeal a non-discrimination ordnance in Houston, Texas was described by Congressman Jody Hice as the “anti-gay Alamo” because, according to him and others, it was the last vestige that remains free of gay tyranny.
“This is the battleground now over traditional family,” he said. “And what is going to occur over this development is that we are either going to see this in Houston, Texas, be the beginning of the end of the LGBT assault, if you will, on freedom to practice religion and of traditional family values being rightfully defended, or this is going to be a huge step toward the ultimate collapse of religious liberty in America.”
The religious right and conservative candidates across the country were outraged that the city had rejected thousands of petition signatures that would have put repeal of Houston’s Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO) up for a vote, and now we know that one of the reasons the signatures were rejected is because they appear to be forged.
According to Houston Press, the city has pointed out that Jared Woodfill, the former Harris County Republican Chairman who filed suit to have the petitions validated, had previously accepted “facially valid” election petitions, though likely unknowingly. Nevertheless, Houston officials also provided samples of HERO signatures that were “purportedly from many different people, all of whom have the same handwriting.”
At least one plaintiff who was suing to force the city to recognize petition signatures has dropped out after it was revealed that some signatures were forged.
Jody Hice was just elected to represent Georgia’s 10th congressional district in November.