Posted on 05/26/2020 1:04:50 AM PDT by Impala64ssa
Attorney General Keith Ellison announced Sunday night that his office has sued a Minnesota restaurant owner who planned to reopen for business Monday.
Kris Schiffler, owner of Shady’s Bar and Grill, planned on reopening his six locations for dine-in business Monday, two weeks earlier than the June 1 reopening date set by the state. He told one local outlet that he received a call from Ellison’s office Friday threatening $25,000 in fines per location, which would amount to $150,000 in total.
Ellison’s office said it will continue to investigate other bars, restaurants, and taverns that threaten to “illegally reopen for on-premises consumption.”
“I can end up broke and on the street, just like 163 employees of mine are going to do the same thing in a little bit here if we don’t get operating,” Schiffler told WCCO.
The House Republican Caucus sent a letter to Ellison Sunday warning that the “rural Minnesota economy is on the verge of collapse due to the numerous executive orders issued by Governor Walz.”
“It has come to our attention that the Attorney General’s Office is contacting these businesses and threatening them with a fine, which could be up to $25,000 per violation, if these business owners have the audacity to try and earn a living,” said the letter. “We would like to think the Attorney General’s office has better things to do than to financially punish people who have gone without a paycheck for nearly two months.”
A few hours later, Ellison’s office announced that it filed an enforcement action against Schiffler and his chain of restaurants because he has “repeatedly publicly represented his intention to violate Executive Order 20-56 by reopening the restaurants for on-premises consumption before June 1.”
“A handful of bar and restaurant owners have said they don’t want to wait any longer and want to reopen illegally. Over the past several days, my office has reached out to them to try to educate them on their rights and responsibilities under the law and the risks to Minnesotans’ health of reopening illegally. In almost all cases, owners have agreed to comply with the law. I thank them for complying,” Ellison said in a press release.
“The owner of Shady’s, however, has declared his intention to break the law and endanger his customers and employees – in Stearns County, with the second-highest number of COVID-19 cases in Minnesota. My office has the duty to enforce the law and the Governor’s order, to protect Minnesotans’ health, and to protect businesses that are complying with the order from unfair competition. I take that duty seriously,” he continued.
The lawsuit asks the courts to prevent Schiffler from reopening early and allow the Attorney General’s Office to seek civil penalties and restitution for violations. Ellison said the lawsuit marks the first enforcement action brought by his office to “prevent the premature restart of on-site consumption.”
A GoFundMe page was created for Schiffler and had raised more than $200,000 as of Monday afternoon.
Schiffler spoke to a crowd of supporters Monday outside his Albany location and said his lawyers advised him not to defy Ellison’s demands.
“The attorney general has just called and they have shut us down,” he said. “Our attorney has advised us to not open the doors.”
Oh yes, the restaurant owners should proceed and get others to join them. Freedom is at stake. Nothing more, nothing less.
They've already damaged this economy grievously...they can't be allowed to damage it more.
They keep using the words *illegally* and *break the law *.
Was there some legislation that was passed into law that prohibits them from opening?
Or are these folks simple defying some demagogue’s power trip dictates cloaked as *executive orders*?
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Exactly, societal lemmings won’t ask, or even wonder, where the authority for thesre “laws” come from.
minnesota....beautiful farms and lakes...and apparently the stupidest people who vote for black islamists...
... and, Jesse Ventura, Al Franken....
“The owner of Shady’s, however, has declared his intention to break the law and endanger his customers and employees – in Stearns County, with the second-highest number of COVID-19 cases in Minnesota. My office has the duty to enforce the law and the Governor’s order, to protect Minnesotans’ health, and to protect businesses that are complying with the order from unfair competition. I take that duty seriously,” he continued.
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Oh B.S. These are the very same Dem AGs who have no problem promoting illegal aliens; selectively enforcing the law to turn it into a political weapon.
So somehow if he opens tomorrow it’ll be deadly and put All these lives at risk, but in two weeks suddenly become safe? Do you anyone with more than a couple brain cells to rub together, it is plain as can be that it is no longer about health and simply about control.
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One can’t apply logic to the decree, it’s all about power. The State is showing who is the boss and that it will destroy anyone who defies it.
Democrats: open borders let any disease into the USA but crushing our freedoms. I hope voters are sick and tired of the power grab. Send them packing!
Keith is also the guy responsible for investigating voter fraud in Minnedota.....
How in tarnation did that creep get to be AG? This America hater deserves NO public office.
Under what law is this restaurant owner to be excessively fined? Where is the statute authorizing this exercise in tyranny?
The U.S. Constitution guarantees nobody can be deprived of property without due process of law. The restaurant owner should be able to go into a U.S. District Court and have this out-of-control tyrant throttled.
AMEN!!!
Tax revenue is down.
Gotta get your money somehow.
Say "Goodbye" to the America of our youth and "Hello" to Socialism.
Minnesotans have surrendered. It is now a Dhimmi state.
Must’ve taken a break from beating his current girlfriend...
Why do Minnesotans keep voting crazy muslims into any office. The muslims are directed by the quoran in 68 passages to lie, cheat, steal and even kill the infidel.
Interesting, great legal defense why the restaurant cannot pay their taxes. There are going to be massive lawsuits against governments for closing businesses and yet still demanding taxes.
Ellison needs to pay more attention to what’s going on in the state & less attention to creating restrictive orders that i presume are not actually passed into law as yet.
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