A federal judge appointed by president Donald Trump has declared that Pennsylvania’s lockdown was unconstitutional. U.S. District Judge William Stickman IV wrote in his ruling that the stay at home order was unconstitutional, and it should never have happened.
BREAKING: A federal judge has ruled that the states shutdown orders and business closures this spring were unconstitutional. @KDKA https://t.co/bXak59P4Ha
— Nicole Ford (@NicoleFordTV) September 14, 2020
The same goes for the business shutdown orders which were found to violate 2 sections of the US Constitution. Also, the judge said that the government picking winners and losers under these circumstances shall not happen again in Pennsylvania.
BREAKING: A federal judge on Monday struck down Gov. Tom Wolf’s pandemic restrictions that required people to stay at home, placed size limits on gatherings and ordered “non-life-sustaining” businesses to shut down, calling them unconstitutional. https://t.co/sxdqroQLrk
— WNEP (@WNEP) September 14, 2020
This ruling occurred after a lawsuit was filed back in May against Governor Wolf and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine by Republican officials like Congressman Mike Kelly and state Reps Marcie Mustello, Daryl Metcalfe and Tim Bonner, plus Butler, Fayette, Greene and Washington counties.
Attorney Tom King representing the plaintiffs has said that:
“We didn’t seek a dollars worth of damages, we sought a declaration that these things were wrong and that’s exactly what Judge Stickman’s order finds. The state was wrong”
“It declares that the stay at home orders were unconstitutional — should never have happened, that the business shutdown orders violate two sections of the U.S. Constitution and picking winners and losers shall not happen again in Pennsylvania under these circumstances”
Tom Wolf’s administration will appeal the ruling. Judge William Stickman wrote in his ruling that the pandemic policies imposed by the Wolf administration have been arbitrary, overreaching and they violated US citizens’ constitutional rights.
Stickman wrote that even if the governor’s measures were taken in good faith, the authority of government is not unfettered even in an emergency.
President Trump tweeted:
Great News, Mike! https://t.co/E0IHPAncn7
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) September 14, 2020
The PA governor’s spokeswoman has said that:
“The actions taken by the administration were mirrored by governors across the country and saved, and continue to save, lives in the absence of federal action. This decision is especially worrying as Pennsylvania and the rest of the country are likely to face a challenging time with the possible resurgence of COVID-19 and the flu in the fall and winter.”
These actions were mirrored across the country. If the ruling stands, it means that all of it was illegal.