Several Churches File Joint Lawsuit Against Michigan Governor Over Unconstitutional Stay-At-Home Order

In the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, governors in almost every state in the country issued executive orders bypassing state legislature to enact Unconstitutional lockdowns that kept businesses closed, churches from gathering, and people locked away in their homes under the threat of force by law enforcement who chose to uphold these governor's orders rather than the Constitution they swore to uphold. Thankfully, in many local and county governments, many did not -- including some in Michigan.

Following widespread protests in the state of Michigan -- which included tens of thousands of citizens driving into the state capital city of Lansing -- several sheriffs in the state vowed not to enforce the draconian orders. Instead of listening to the citizens’ protest of her infringement of their constitutional rights, instead, Governor Janet Whitmer proceeded to blame and ridicule them.

Now, several churches, pastors, laypeople, and a former Republican delegate have filed a joint lawsuit against the Michigan tyrant claiming that her orders continue to hinder religious gatherings against afforded them in the First Amendment of the Constitution despite the "exceptions" that are made.

Whitmer’s executive order, which is in effect until May 15, says “neither a place of religious worship nor its owner” could be penalized or charged with a misdemeanor for “allowing religious worship at such place,” and that “no individual would be subject” to penalties for not wearing a face mask, which is currently a legal requirement in confined public places, including grocery stores."

However, the lawsuit argues that “Nothing in this provision applies to individuals attending a place or worship as clergy or congregants,” and “A promise to not subject a geographic location or its ‘owner’ to the criminal penalty ... merely adorns the Constitution with a fig leaf and does not protect individuals or change the clear language of the order prohibiting any religious services or other ministry functions at a church or religious organization.”

The lawsuit asks a federal judge to deem the 1945 Emergency Powers Act and the 1976 Emergency Management Act, which afforded Whitmer the power to issue her executive orders, unconstitutional.

“Nothing in the U.S. Constitution authorizes a state governor to suspend constitutional representative governance by declaring new emergencies every 28 days into perpetuity,” the complaint says. “Allowing one person to wield absolute power is not a republican form of government, it is tyranny.”

The entire lawsuit can be seen at this link.