Editorial
Debate on executive authority worth holding, but must not distract from urgent work
It s a good bet legal challenges weren t on Gov. Eric Holcomb s Christmas list, but the lawsuit filed by a Bluffton restaurant and efforts by Republican lawmakers to rein in his authority over a public health emergency were inevitable. Both deserve the attention our legal and legislative systems afford them; neither should distract from the critical work of fighting the pandemic.
The suit filed by Yergy s BBQ in Bluffton followed a standoff last summer with the Wells County Health Department, which ordered the restaurant closed for violations of masking requirements and limits on customer capacity. Warnings had been issued in response to complaints.