Democrat governors nationwide have shown little restraint in exerting power over their citizens during the pandemic, and the governor of the state with the most coronavirus deaths (and second-most per-capita) could finally have the Supreme Court weigh in on his restrictions on religious services.
The Cuomo administration has had the courts side with him when it comes to restrictions on businesses, restaurants, schools, and gyms, but his restrictions on religious services now face a challenge that could reach the Supreme Court. New restrictions in October limited religious attendance to the lesser of 25% of capacity, or ten people, effectively making it impossible for any congregation to hold a real service.
According to Fox Business:
The U.S. Supreme Court is expected this week to say whether it will hear a challenge by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn to the restrictions that Mr. Cuomo placed on parts of the borough in October.
Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio said in an interview that the limits were unfair because secular activities — like shopping at grocery stores — were deemed as essential and allowed to continue. The practice of religion is protected by the First Amendment, he said.
“If we were essential, you’d have to look at us differently — whether we were a grocery store or a pharmacy,” Bishop DiMarzio said. “We have been relegated with the bowling alleys.”
The state said in a filing in the Brooklyn Diocese’s case that its rules “target the settings that most naturally facilitate Covid-19 spread, namely those in which persons tend to gather closely for an extended period of time.” It said worship should be measured against concerts or lectures — secular activities that were entirely banned.
Democrat leaders have been under fire for their inability to follow the rules they set for everyone else themselves.
Pelosi’s #SalonGate wasn’t even three months ago and it already feels like a distant memory in a long list of coronavirus hypocrisy.
California Governor Gavin Newsom was recently spotted dining indoor maskless with a group of lobbyists, two of whom were lobbyists for the California Medical Association, which cautions against such gatherings. A representative for Newsom initially lied and claimed that the dinner was held outdoors and there was proper distancing and use of PPP, but photographs of the gathering quickly debunked that. Another rule broken by Newsom and others was the California Health Department’s guidance that gatherings can’t have people from more than three households – and this dinner had people from at least twelve.
EXCLUSIVE: We've obtained photos of Governor Gavin Newsom at the Napa dinner party he's in hot water over. The photos call into question just how outdoors the dinner was. A witness who took photos tells us his group was so loud, the sliding doors had to be closed. 10pm on @FOXLA pic.twitter.com/gtOVEwa864
— Bill Melugin (@BillFOXLA) November 18, 2020
Meanwhile, Cuomo will threaten you with $1,000 fines for not wearing a mask, but is rarely spotted wearing one himself (unless he knows he’ll be in front of a camera).
I have bad news, Mr. Governor. https://t.co/WkSVTkZrHp pic.twitter.com/9UEHbB607H
— Cliff Maloney 🚀 (@CliffMaloneyJr) September 29, 2020
Following the media’s declaration that Joe Biden won the presidential election on November 7th, tens of thousands of New Yorkers (mostly from NYC) took to the streets to celebrate. There was no social distancing to be seen anywhere – or any consequences for that behavior that would’ve resulted in harsh penalties had an identical celebration broken out for a religious cause.
