On the heels of news that Houston City Officials subpoenaed the sermon notes and private communications of five city pastors to see if they criticized the city’s “Bathroom Bill” or Mayor Annise Parker (D), New York magazine is arguing that Houston’s “Lesbian Mayor” is not out to get the pastors.

According to New York Mag (NYM), the subpoenas demand that the five pastors turn over “all speeches, presentations, or sermons related to HERO (Houston Equal Rights Ordinance), the Petition, Mayor Annise Parker, homosexuality, or gender identity prepared by, delivered by, revised by, or approved by [the pastors] or in [the pastors’] possession.”

In other words, although the issue at hand is the petition which the Mayor and City Attorney threw out–an action which Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) claims “defied the law“–the request for sermon notes referencing the Mayor, homosexuality, and gender identity is not indicative of a mayor who is out to get preachers.

The pastors disagree, claiming “it’s an overboard fishing expedition.” ADF lead attorney Erik Stanley agrees with the pastors.

On October 15 Stanley told Breitbart News:

There’s been some discussion about the motivation behind this. One of the things that’s interesting is if you look at the subpoena there appears to be a political motivation. For example, in Sec. 2, Para 12, they are asking for communication relating to Mayor Denis Parker (D). What possible reference does that have regarding whether signatures on a petition were valid?

NYM says Mayor Parker “doesn’t care” if the pastors did or didn’t say about her and claims she didn’t “even hear about the subpoenas” until October 14.

Parker has since backed away from the controversial court order, claiming it will be “clarified.”

Follow AWR Hawkins on Twitter @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.