Chick-Fil-A Ending Support for Anti-Same Sex Marriage Groups

Major news outlets reported Wednesday that Chick-Fil-A is backing down from its controversial support of groups that oppose same-sex marriage.

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St. Louis area locations of the fast-food eatery were swarmed with supporters during the height of the controversy in early August when the company's CEO Dan Cathy described his definition of marriage as "bible-based" and traditional.

The closest location to Town and Country and Manchester is the Chick-Fil-A in Des Peres on Manchester Road, just east of Interstate 270. As previously reported by Patch, vandals actually spray painted the outside of that restaurant in opposition of the company's stance on same-sex marriage.

The noise from the dust-up has died down, but Chick-Fil-A was apparently still feeling enough pressure to reverse course. From the AP:

Chick-fil-A issued a statement to that effect Wednesday when asked to comment on a claim earlier in the day that the company had stopped funding organizations that oppose same-sex marriage.

Chicago Alderman Joe Moreno announced the alleged policy change, which he said followed extended negotiations. He said as a result, he would no longer try to block a Chick-fil-A restaurant from opening in his district.

The company declined to comment beyond a statement saying it planned "to leave the policy debate over same-sex marriage to the government and political arena."