Posted on 12/05/2020 4:57:42 AM PST by karpov
The state of Oregon, hoping to strike a blow against both the pandemic and “systemic racism,” has established a Covid relief fund exclusively for blacks and black-owned businesses. The Oregon Cares Fund website accurately describes the program as “unprecedented.” It is also surely unconstitutional.
In July the Oregon Legislature Emergency Board allotted $200 million to assist small businesses suffering losses because of the pandemic and government-ordered shutdowns. Of the total, $62 million was set aside for the Oregon Cares Fund, whose website describes it as “a Fund for Black people, Black-owned businesses, and Black community based organizations.” Black families are eligible for up to $3,000 and black-owned businesses for up to $100,000.
Maria Garcia, owner of the Revolucion Coffee House in Portland, applied for support. She was denied because her business “does not meet the criteria because 0% of its owners identify as Black.” She has sued in federal court, alleging that the denial violates her rights under the 14th Amendment’s Equal Protection Clause. Last month a federal court declined a petition in another lawsuit, by the timber company Great Northern Resources, to enjoin further distributions from the Cares Fund. Both cases await a ruling on the constitutional merits.
The state couldn’t have been surprised at the challenges. Oregon’s Legislative Counsel advised the Emergency Board that, absent evidentiary findings of past discrimination by the state in the relevant industries, “the program would almost certainly be unconstitutional under the Fourteenth Amendment.” But in a brief submitted to the Legislature, the Portland law firm Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt gave the board cover with this now familiar refrain: “Centuries of systemic and institutional discrimination—perpetuated and exacerbated by current systems—have caused economic disparities.”
(Excerpt) Read more at wsj.com ...
Has anyone sued yet?
So much for equality, right?
I saw the same thing on über eats in my area - a banner across the top of the website that said to “support local black businesses” with a direct link.
I switched to another food delivery service. There are MANY small restaurants that are struggling mightily around here (Southern California) and not a week goes by that another goes out of business, including my favorite deli.
No one will have standing.
ML/NJ
Of course it is but black people have special privileges in this society. The supreme court even made it “legal” for them to have the special privilege called affirmative action.
We live in a criminal world, folks. See and heed my tagline.
JoMa
Gee--the solution to this is easy.
Yes...my hub says an Oregon lumber guy did sue, and lost to Oregon Supremes...a wholly owned by commies court
That’s what happens when Fed funds are dispatched to the states during crises. Some of it is thrown away to the gimme stuff folks to placate that constituency under the made up “suffered greatly” political narrative
The Plot Against the Small Businesses. How pandemic policy has benefited the corporate elite.
Learn to read
Let’s be honest: This is a direct payment to BLM for all the riots and voter fraud. I mean C’mon, it was a lot of work to buy all those bricks and place them around the city and this doesn’t even cover the back breaking work done on the plantation harvesting ballots and terrorizing senior citizens and the mentally impaired.
Is that Covid relief fund exclusively for blacks and black-owned businesses?
It is illegal and unconstitutional. Any law that “allows” this is invalid and not binding.
Bookmark
(Far off) ANTIFA rioters,this is what you have trained for, make us proud.
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