Vermont attorney general sues UPS store for violating mask mandate
Second enforcement action from AG office since pandemic began
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Updated: 5:40 PM EST Feb 19, 2021
Jake Cookson
Second enforcement action from AG office since pandemic began
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Updated: 5:40 PM EST Feb 19, 2021
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MATT LEIGHTON HAS THE STORY NAT - NATURAL SOUNDS THIS NEWPORT U- P-S STORE, STILL OPEN FOR BUSINESS ONE DAY AFTER LOSING ITS FRANCHISE AGREEMENT FOR NOT REQUIRING ITS WORKERS TO WEAR MASKS...NOW BEING SUED FOR VIOLATING THE STATE'S MASK MANDATE. T.J. DONOVAN / (D) VERMONT ATTORNEY GENERAL - WE ALL HAVE A JOB TO DO, WE ALL HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY, EVERYBODY HAS SACRIFICED, LET'S FINISH THE JOB AND THE FACT THAT THIS GUY WON'T, REALLY LEFT US NO CHOICE SO I TAKE NO PLEASURE IN DOING THIS, IT'S THE LAST THING I WANT TO DO BUT WE'RE GONNA DO OUR JOBS THE ATTORNEY GENERALS'S OFFICE FIRST SENT THE BUSINESS TWO "CEASE AND DESIST LETTERS ONE IN NOVEMBER AND ANOTHER ONE EARLIER THIS WEEK, DIRECTING áIT TO FOLLOW THE MANDATE. T.J. DONOVAN / (D) VERMONT ATTORNEY GENERAL - THE FACT THAT THIS BUSINESS OWNER CONTINUES TO VIOLATE AND OPENLY VIOLATE THE GOVERNOR'S ORDER IS FRUSTRATING THE STATE IS HOPING A COURT WILL MAKE THE BUSINESS COMPLY WITH THE RULES. T.J. DONOVAN / (D) VERMONT ATTORNEY GENERAL - WHETHER OR NOT HE DOES OR DOESN'T DO THAT, I THINK IS YET TO BE SEEN AND THERE ARE MANY AVENUES THAT THIS CAN TAKE THROUGH THE JUDICIAL PROCESS UP AND INCLUDING WHERE THE BUSINESS COULD BE SHUT DOWN IF HE DOESN'T COMPLY GOVERNOR PHIL SCOTT POINTING OUT THIS COULD HAVE ALL BEEN AVOIDED BY SIMPLY FOLLOWING THE RULES. GOV. PHIL SCOTT / (R) VERMONT - IT WOULD BE MY HOPE THAT THEY COULD FIND A PATH FORWARD TO REOPEN FOLLOWING OUR GUIDANCE. WE DON'T WANT TO SHUT ANY BUSINESSES DOWN THE BUSINESS OWNER DID NOT WANT TO SPEAK ON CAMERA BUT TELLS NBC5 NEWS HE'S GETTING A LAWYER AND STAYING OPEN...AND THAT A LOT OF COMMUNITY MEMBERS AND BUSINESSES ARE SUPPORTING HIM. I THINK WHAT THEY'RE DOING IS TERRIBLE. I LOVE THE UPS PEOPLE. I LOVE THE UPS. THEY'RE MY BEST FRIENDS EVER BUT I'M SURE THAT A LOT OF THEM ALSO ARE AGAINST THAT IN NEWPORT, MATT LEIGHTON, NBC5 NEWS. IN AN EMAIL TO NBC5 NEWS UPS SAYS ANY CUSTOMERS WHO HAD A MAILBOX WILL NEED TO WORK WITH THE FORMER FRANCHISE OWNER TO GET THEIR PACKAGES AND MAIL. AS THE STORE NO LONGER PROCESS NEW SHIPMENTS. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL S