Newsom had the right to ban church services during pandemic, federal judge rules...

KTLA NEWS ^ | May 5, 2020 | AP

[L.A.Justice]

California Gov. Gavin Newsom had the right to ban church assemblies in the interest of public health during the coronavirus outbreak, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.

Newsom’s stay-at-home order did not violate the constitutional rights to free assembly and religion when the Cross Culture Christian Center in Lodi was ordered to cease holding services, Judge John Mendez ruled in Sacramento.

Pastor Jonathan Duncan had continued to assemble his congregation after the governor banned public gatherings in March despite warnings it was in violation of state and local orders. The church of fewer than 50 members said it was obeying federal guidelines to prevent spread of the virus.

[L.A.Justice]

Mendez said state and local stay-at-home orders were a valid exercise of emergency police powers and didn’t violate the church’s constitutional rights. Mendez noted that the Supreme Court over 100 years ago upheld the government’s right to exercise police powers to promote public safety during a public health crisis.

“During public health crises, new considerations come to bear, and government officials must ask whether even fundamental rights must give way to a deeper need to control the spread of infectious disease and protect the lives of society’s most vulnerable,” Mendez wrote.

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Governor Gavin should be very happy...At this time, he could issue any order and get away with it...Like a king...

A federal judge is not likely to stop him...Not in this case...

[G Larry]

Appeal the ruling!

It MUST fall!

[G Larry]

Appeal the ruling!

It MUST fall!

[rdl6989]

This one is going all the way to SCOTUS.

[Michael.SF.]

"during a public health crisis."

One could make the case that this 'health crisis" was manufactured, based on false information. Past 'health crises' were not handled in this strong arm manner, so why this one?

[Morpheus2009]

Apparently all over the Internet people think otherwise. Screaming about cops massacring people walking outside in Spanish Flu. Now, the one thing I could say is that people could attend church over an Internet broadcast, but still, I can’t help but notice a great deal of hypocrisy or being above the rules for rich people and politicians.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

“During public health crises, new considerations come to bear, and government officials must ask whether even fundamental rights must give way to a deeper need to control the spread of infectious disease and protect the lives of society’s most vulnerable,” Mendez wrote.

Really? Where in the US Constitution is this principle stated?

[Don Corleone]

There are a lot of things that are legal to do but STUPID nonetheless.

[CodeToad]

So, we have no constitutions if the governor says the magic words, “State of Emergency”? Seems we need a better governing document then.

[a fool in paradise]

>>Newsom’s stay-at-home order did not violate the constitutional rights to free assembly and religion

This would not pass Constitutional challenge

And yet the Anti-Christian League of Uglies isn’t there for you or me.

[nwrep]

That is not an unreasonable statement, but the considerations must be applied equally to all businesses and organizations. If retail can be allowed to open with guidelines, so should churches.

[Drango]

Mendez noted that the Supreme Court over 100 years ago upheld the government’s right to exercise police powers to promote public safety during a public health crisis.

THIS! From man's law. Romans 13:1-7 for God's law.

[glennaro]

If we treated "values" as we do "species", Liberty would have been recently moved from the "Threatened Values List" to the "Endangered Values List"

But far too many Americans, under the intoxicating spell of the media, by politicians and by "The Experts" who are working long hours to sustain a high level of fear of the Chinese virus, remain hysterical and have no time to consider "frivolities" or "abstract concepts" such as liberty and freedom. The only concern of many Americans -- their concern above everything else -- is that their governor keep them "safe".

These people are selfishly spending their children's liberty endowment to meet the massively high cost of "safety".

[null and void]

18 U.S.C. §242

This applies to you too, judge.

[Robert DeLong]

There's a federal judge that needs to be impeached, because the Constitution clears states:

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

The Constitution overrides any state edict that might render the 1st amendment moot, period. End of discussion. Judge needs to be removed.

[gibsonguy]

So the constitution gets tossed because the Governor decides there is a public health crisis with no due process and no end date? Think climate change for instance. So watch the Wisconsin rats use this to if their SC smacks down the Rat Governor. This better get appealed or the rats just found a way to ignore the bill of rights.

[Skywise]

Wow... really? The judge just declare that Newsom’s outright ban on church services and people assembling together does NOT infringe, in anyway, on their right to assemble and exercise their religion?

Black is white too I guess.

[grey_whiskers]

Now do Muslims!

[Fido969]

You know, this is a small step from banning churches because they do not follow approved leftie political correctness.

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

All I can say to these dictators is don’t forget the historical score card;

Christians 1, Roman Empire 0.