Wisconsin Sued Over Coronavirus Restrictions

A "Safer at Home" coronavirus pandemic order has failed to keep Wisconsin safe against a lawsuit.

Issued by Gov. Tony Evers and Andrea Palm, Secretary of Health Services, the order mandates Wisconsin residents must stay at home, adding a list of a host of exceptions to the rule.

The plaintiffs in the lawsuit, Jeré Fabick and Larry Chapman, challenged the order on the basis, by limiting religious gatherings to fewer than 10 people, the order discriminates against religious believers, Breitbart reported.

They also note, the order is especially restrictive agaist Orthodox Jews, who require a "Minyan," or 10 men over the age of 13, to be present in order for religious worship to take place.

The order specifically exempts "Weddings, funerals, and religious entities. Religious facilities, entities, groups, and gatherings, and weddings and funerals, except that any gathering shall include fewer than 10 people in a room or confined space at a time and individuals shall adhere to Social Distancing Requirements as much as possible."

The order has teeth, stating it is "enforceable by any local law enforcement official, including county sheriffs. Violation or obstruction of this Order is punishable by up to 30 days imprisonment, or up to $250 fine, or both."

The lawsuit states, while limiting those attending a religious service to fewer than 10, it allows "hundreds of customers into Costco at any given time."

The order notes it goes into effect April 24 and remains in effect until 8 a.m. ET on Tuesday, May 26.

Adam Laxalt, the former attorney general of Nevada and the attorney representing the plaintiffs, said, "If a government is going to restrict the right to attend a church service at all, then they need to do it far more carefully and in a far more narrow way then was done in Wisconsin," Bloomberg reported.

The plaintiffs stated their belief Wisconsin is acting in good faith, but add the state's officials "have gone too far, needlessly infringing our most basic constitutional liberties – to an extent that is without precedent and that would have been virtually unimaginable in a free society just two months ago."

Related Stories:

• CDC Drafts 'Decision Tree' of New Guidelines to Aid With Safe Easing of Restrictions
• Federal Judge Backs Mississippi Church Right to Hold Service