An ordeal between church and state has erupted in the City of Houston and some local religious leaders are not very happy. Mayor Annise Parker the first open lesbian Mayor in Houston. Sending out court ordered subpoenas, Parker demanded pastors hand over copies of any sermon that discusses Mayor Parker, homosexuality, and gender identity. Church leaders and congregation members are outraged by her demands. The Alliance Defending Freedom Group is a nationally known law firm for working with religious liberty rights. They filed a motion to stop the subpoenas, calling them "overbroad, unduly burdensome, and harassing," The argument started the motion for the sermons and writings based on if they are in violation of their tax exempt status. The problem is that tax exemptions are given to Houston Religious groups through federal and state law not through the City of Houston. The first amendment alone states that religious groups are protected in their speech and practice. This al