A legal action has been taken against California Governor Gavin Newsom by a group of pastors in federal court over the restrictions imposed on gatherings due to the Coronavirus, which have prevented people from attending church services.
Filing the lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the Central District of California are The Dhillon Law Group, a firm led by conservative attorney Harmeet Dhillon, on behalf of four plaintiffs, three of whom are pastors.
As per LA Times, the clergy members have alleged that Governor Gavin’s administration is “criminalizing the free exercise of religion” through stay-at-home directives that have restricted individuals from attending church services.
The other plaintiffs include a churchgoer from San Bernardino County, a pastor from San Bernardino County, and another pastor from Riverside County.
As stated in the complaint, the lawsuit argues that Newsom and other state officials, “in a gross abuse of their power, have seized the coronavirus pandemic to expand their authority by unprecedented lengths, depriving plaintiffs and all other residents of California of fundamental rights protected by the U.S. and California Constitutions, including freedom of religion, speech, and assembly, and due process and equal protection under the law.”
It further asserts, “It is this court’s duty to defend these constitutional principles, by safeguarding the many rights and liberties of Californians that defendants so brazenly violate.”
The pastors involved in the lawsuit are also filing a lawsuit against California Attorney General Xavier Becerra, as well as officials for both Riverside and San Bernardino counties, including the county supervisors and sheriffs.
On March 19, Newsom issued an executive order directing Californians to stay home in order to slow the spread of the coronavirus outbreak, as several churches in the state had become hot spots for coronavirus infections, including one in Rancho Cordova where 71 congregants tested positive for the disease.
During a recent press conference, Newsom stated that he was not against people practicing their faith, provided it was done in a safe and physically distant manner.
He said, “Practice your faith, but do so in a way that allows you to keep yourself healthy.”