Mayor Annise Parker announced Wednesday that she is no longer demanding five Houston pastors turn in documents regarding homosexuality, gender identity and the Houston Equal Rights Ordinance (HERO).
Parker, the city's first openly gay mayor, previously removed sermons from the subpoena request after a nationwide outcry.
"After much contemplation and discussion, I am directing the city legal department to withdraw the subpoenas issued to the five Houston pastors who delivered the petitions, the anti-HERO petitions, to the city of Houston and who indicated that they were responsible for the overall petition effort," Mayor Parker said during a press conference.
HERO was signed into law by Parker in May, and extends equal rights protections to gay and transgender persons. Religious institutions are exempt from the legislation.
After a coalition of 400 Houston churches opposed the ordinance, five of the pastors were targeted by the mayor's office. Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) attorney Erik Stanley said Parker's actions were a First Amendment violation.
"She really had no choice but to withdraw the subpoenas," Stanley told Fox News. "They were only intended to intimidate and to bully pastors into silence. It sent a terrible message to the faith community in Houston and across the country. She was roundly criticised from the right and the left – from all across the nation."
Subpoenaed Pastor Steve Riggle of Grace Community Church also decried the Mayor's conduct.
"You don't mess with the pulpits," he said. "You are not a little dictator to do whatever you want – and that's what we have right now in Houston, Texas. It's important that everybody keep their eye on what's happening here."
On Sunday, the Family Research Council will host an "I Will Stand" rally at Riggle's megachurch. "Duck Dynasty" star Phil Robertson, former Arkansas governor and Southern Baptist minister Mike Huckabee, and thousands of others are expected to attend.
