Freedom of speech and freedom of religion - both rights protected by the First Amendment.
But two couples and a Depew minister have filed a lawsuit claiming executive orders issued and enforced by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo, State Attorney General Letitia James... ooo
WEDDINGRESTRICTIONS.SOME COUPLES SAYTHEY DON'TUNDERSTAND WHYSCHOOLS COULDHAVE GRADUATIONS,AND RESTAURANTSCAN SERVE DOZENSOF PEOPLE INDOORS...BUT THE RULES FORWEDDINGS REMAINVERY STRICT HERE INNEW YORK...7 EYEWITNESS NEWSREPORTER OLIVIAPROIA SHOWS US --LEAST TWO COUPLESWHO ARE NOW SUINGTHE GOVERNOR, THEATTORNEY GENERAL,AND THE ERIE COUNTYEXECUTIVE.FREEDOM OF SPEECHAND FREEDOM OFRELIGION.... BOTHRIGHTS PROTECTEDBY THE FIRSTAMENDEMENT.BUT TWO COUPLESAND A DEPEWMINISTER HAVE FILEDA LAWSUIT...CLAIMING EXECUTIVEORDERS ISSUED ANDENFORCED BY NEWYORK GOVERNORANDREW CUOMO,STATE ATTORNEYGENERAL LETITIAJAMES, AND ERIECOUNTY EXECUTIVEMARK POLONCARZVIOLATE THEIR RIGHTTO FREELY PRACTICETHEIR RELIGION....BECAUSE THEY CAN'THOST THEIRWEDDINGS TO THEFULL CAPACITY.AS OF JUNE 25TH, ALLGATHERINGS -INCLUDING WEDDINGS- ARE NOT ALLOWEDTO EXCEED 50PEOPLE.THE LAWSUIT SAYSTHE DEPARTMENT OFHEALTH STRICTLYENFORCES THISPOLICY, AND HASEVEN THREATENEDONE COUPLE'S VENUEIF DOES NOT COMPLY.BUT THE LAWSUITALSO SAYS THISEXECUTIVE ORDER OFSOCIAL DISTANCINGHAS NOT BEEN FAIRLYENFORCED... ANDSTATES THERE HAVEBEEN EXCEPTIONSTO THAT 50-PERSONLIMIT...."THIS CAP ONRELIGIOUS WEDDINGSIS ... ENFORCEDDESPITE THE FACTTHAT DEFENDANTSREGULARLY PERMITCLOSELY PACKEDGATHERINGS OFHUNDREDS ANDTHOUSANDS OFPEOPLE TO PROTESTTHE WRONGFULDEATH OF GEORGEFLLOYD AT THE HANDSOF A POLICE OFFICER"THE LAWSUITINCLUDES QUOTESFROM GOVERNORCUOMO'S PRESSBRIEFING ON JUNE1ST.CUOMO: PROTEST.JUST BE SMART ABOUTIT.
WITH THIS VIRUS,YOU CAN DO MANYTHINGS NOW AS LONGAS YOU'RE SMARTABOUT IT, RIGHT?IT ALSO NOTES THISPICTURE OF MARKPOLONCARZ AT APROTEST IN NIAGARASQUARE.... WITHIN 6FEET OF OTHERS.ON THE WEDDINGISSUE - THE LAWSUITSAYS EVEN AT HALFCAPACITY, SOMEVENUES CAN SAFELYACCOMMODATEMORE THAN 50PEOPLE... SO CAPPINGALL WEDDINGS ATTHAT NUMBER SIMPLYISN'T FAIR.THE GOVERNOR'SOFFICE HAS NOTRESPONDED TO THELAWSUIT... AND THESTATE HAS NOTINDICATED WHEN ITMAY RELAX RULES ONWEDDINGS ANDHOUSES OF WORSHIP.OLIVIA PROIA, 7EWN
By Bruce Pannier
(FPRI) -- In the early 1990s, Kyrgyzstan was often referred to as an “island of democracy” in..