Post by M. Hawbaker on Sept 14, 2020 22:28:16 GMT
A federal judge on Monday ruled that some of Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf's restrictions implemented amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic were unconstitutional -- marking a win for businesses struggling to stay afloat amid the forced shutdown.
U.S. District Judge William Stickman IV, who was appointed by President Trump, sided with plaintiffs that included hair salons, drive-in movie theaters, a farmer's market vendor, a horse trainer and several Republican officeholders in their lawsuit against Wolf, a Democrat, and his health secretary.
U.S. District Judge William Stickman IV, who was appointed by President Trump, sided with plaintiffs that included hair salons, drive-in movie theaters, a farmer's market vendor, a horse trainer and several Republican officeholders in their lawsuit against Wolf, a Democrat, and his health secretary.
The ruling found that Wolf's restrictions that required people to stay at home, placed size limits on gatherings and ordered "non-life-sustaining" businesses to shut down were unconstitutional.
The Wolf administration's pandemic policies have been overreaching, arbitrary and violated citizens' constitutional rights, Stickman wrote in his ruling.
The governor's efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus "were undertaken with the good intention of addressing a public health emergency," Stickman wrote. "But even in an emergency, the authority of government is not unfettered."
The governor's efforts to slow the spread of the coronavirus "were undertaken with the good intention of addressing a public health emergency," Stickman wrote. "But even in an emergency, the authority of government is not unfettered."
