Posted on 04/04/2020 8:41:48 AM PDT by EdnaMode
Four small retail businesses have been hit with criminal charges for staying open during the city’s shutdown orders for non-essential businesses.
Prosecutor Mike Feuer’s office charged Business Discount Electronics, 556 S. Broadway; Hot Box Smoke Shop, 9115 S. Western Ave.; DTLA Smoke Shop, 223 1/2 W. 6th St.; and Brother Shoes, 818 W. Slauson Ave., Unit B.
The Safer At Home orders are in effect until April 19. Violations of either the city or county order can be enforced as a misdemeanor and punishable by fines and imprisonment. In addition, the Dept. of Water and Power will cut off service to the premises of non-compliant businesses.
The charges are the first the city has filed against businesses, and Feuer said 30 other establishments are being investigated, according to the Los Angeles Times.
Various city officials had tried to get the stores to cooperate, but were rebuffed.
“We want to let people know that we are serious about this, that businesses that flagrantly violate this will be shut down short-term and prosecuted in the medium term as well,” Mayor Eric Garcetti said. “We’re all safer at home. Nonessential businesses remaining open at this time jeopardize public health and safety, and my office is committed to vigorously enforcing the mayor’s order.”
The charges get the headlines but prosecutors like having as close to a 100% record as they can get.
They know that a judge or a jury will be a lottery when it comes to the legality - scope, length, etc. - of such orders especially when they come into direct conflict with the Bill of Rights (and no, I’m not saying businesses have rights - but people do).
The cymbals will clang and the headlines blare but the charges will be quietly dropped before a precedent-setting trial can take place.
Saw a few fruit carts on the street yesterday. The ones that sell the contaminated fruit from Mexico. Didn’t see any cops shutting them down.
Double standards everywhere.
In New York people can’t go to a church service, but they keep the subway open.
Effectively closing businesses and arresting owners. This is NOT the USA that I had in mind when I said I wanted it back. The current USA is not like the USA that I knew.
If only they would go after the homeless bums & illegal aliens as hard as they go after hard working, taxpaying Citizens.
I wonder how many homeless people the cops had to step over to arrest the business owners.
In Washongton, the Governor recommended bike rides and shut down lake fishing.
Can’t disobey the edicts of the newly self appointed dictators. You vill obey!
My bud owns a used car dealership in LA. most of them are in contact with each other. He got a text from another dealership that the mayors Gestapo unit was in van nuys on thursday so he closed the gate Friday BUT was accepting appointments.
Not ONCE did this stupid mayor even once mention compensating businesses .
And NOT ONCE did any reporter ask that question..
“The cymbals will clang and the headlines blare but the charges will be quietly dropped before a precedent-setting trial can take place.”
Yes, but in the meantime they will make your life as miserable as possible and hold you up as an example.
“In Washongton, the Governor recommended bike rides and shut down lake fishing.”
Makes no sense.
And I’m not sure what law doing it us based on.
Wash your fruits & vegetables, no matter where you purchase them or their country of origin.
Simple precautions.
Looks like 2 of the businesses are tobacco /vape shops.
Cutting off smokers’ access to their ‘fix’ could provoke a riot.
Every prepper knows, cigarettes are good to have among supplies. Even stale ones are good for bartering.
Liquor too.
Are the pot shops still open?
There’s no profit in that.
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