Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) doubled down on his efforts to quash a New York state bill that would require new restaurants that open in rest stops on the highway to offer service seven days a week.
Graham has focused his ire on the effect the bill would have on Chick-fil-A, which has a longstanding policy of closing Sundays in observance of the Sabbath, to let employees “worship if they choose,” according to company policy.
In a Thursday interview on “Fox & Friends” — and a subsequent post on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter — Graham made it clear he did not intend to back down anytime soon.
“The bottom line is: Conservatives are tolerant. We are, you know, kind of, get out of your business — ‘You leave me alone; I’ll leave you alone,’” he said. “It’s time to push back.”
“I’m sure this is a publicity stunt, but the idea that the state of New York is going to make a company change its policies it’s had from its founding. They want to have one day off for their employees to recognize the Lord. And they can do it,” he said.
“And to the people in New York who are pushing this: You’re in for one hell of a fight,” he said in the interview.
Graham first made the New York state bill a focus of his when he declared on X last week, “This is war.”
He continued to threaten to introduce legislation that would withhold federal funds from cities that require the fast food chain to remain open Sundays.
“The founders of Chick-fil-A made a decision early on to close on Sunday, consistent with their faith,” the South Carolina senator said at the time. “For any government to try to reverse this decision flies in the face of who we are as Americans.”
Graham then made a trip to a Chick-fil-A store location in New York and doubled down on his commitment to fight the bill.
New York state Rep. Tony Simone (D), who introduced the bill earlier this month, said it aimed to provide travelers in New York with various food options at rest stops, The Associated Press reported. The bill would not apply to restaurants that are currently operating, meaning its impact on existing Chick-fil-A locations would be limited, the news wire added.