Gov. Roy Cooper’s executive orders have close to a million North Carolinians out of work, but they have created a lot of work for lawyers.
Today the North Carolina Bar and Tavern Association, which has about 200 members, filed a lawsuit asking for a temporary restraining order and preliminary injunction to allow bars to open under the Phase 2 order that is now in place.
Under the Phase 2 order, restaurants, breweries, wineries and distilleries were allowed to reopen at 50 percent capacity, but bars were ordered to remain closed.
The bar owners met with Cooper’s office, and one reasonable request they had was to show them the science, facts and data that proved that someone having an adult beverage at a bar was more likely to contract COVID-19 than someone having an adult beverage at a restaurant, brewery, winery or distillery.
Cooper’s mantra has been that all his decisions are based on “science, data and facts,” but he has been so unwilling to share the science, data and facts that he is also being sued by about 25 media outlets requesting among other things to see the science, data and facts on which his decisions have been made.
Cooper is also being sued by several gym and fitness centers because Phase 2 also orders them to remain closed.
On the bar front, Cooper is being hit from at least two directions. The state legislature by bipartisan votes in the House and Senate last week passed a bill that would allow bars to open and restaurants to operate at a higher capacity. Cooper has 10 days to sign or veto the bill and if he does neither the bill becomes law without his signature.
Hope they win!!!!!!!!