Church Blocked From Recalling Mayor Who Signed Gay Policy

A judge has blocked an El Paso, Texas church from spearheading the recall campaign against Mayor John Cook, who signed a bill to give benefits to same-sex and heterosexual unmarried partners of city workers.

Under Texas law, corporations, which would include the church trying to recall Cook, can not make political contributions to a recall election. The El Paso Times reported that Pastor Tim Brown and his church Word of Life initially started the petition for a recall election after Cook and El Paso city representatives voted to restore benefits to gay and unmarried partners of city employees.

According to the El Paso Times, the Eighth Court of Appeals voted unanimously that the petitions were not valid and could not be used to hold a recall election against Cook.

Brown plans to appeal to the Texas Supreme Court, claiming "the appeals court made up their mind before the oral arguments."