North Carolina Governor Sued Over Pandemic-Related Bar Closures
North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper is being sued by the owner of a popular Greenville bar over emergency shutdown orders purportedly aimed at stemming the spread of the CCP virus, also known as the novel coronavirus.
The lawsuit comes as courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court, are becoming increasingly receptive to overturning or modifying pandemic-related executive orders, especially those that conflict with religious freedom.
The plaintiffs are Crystal Waldron, co-owner and vice president of Club 519, and Club 519 itself, which is a North Carolina corporation. They claim the gubernatorial fiats that have kept Club 519, a community bar, shuttered for more than nine months, while allowing plenty of other establishments that sell alcoholic beverages to stay open for business, are discriminatory and violate the state’s constitution. Violating the orders can lead to fines and jail time.