A group of businesses and political organizations in Oregon are suing the state's governor over her extension of a state of emergency declared in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Oregon Live and The Associated Press reported that the coalition of businesses suing Gov. Kate Brown (D) includes a restaurant, Spud Monkeys, which was cited for violating COVID-19 protocols.
Local political action committee Oregon Moms Union, which is known for supporting candidates opposed to teachers unions and COVID-19 restrictions on in-person classes, was also listed as backing the lawsuit.
The coalition reportedly asked a judge to issue an injunction barring enforcement of all of Brown's restrictions on local businesses implemented under the state of emergency, while also objecting to her order's lack of separate guidelines for vaccinated individuals, “subjecting all to the same regulations and deprivations of liberty," according to the AP.
Brown moved last week to extend Oregon's state of emergency by two months, while announcing this week that the last of Oregon's counties were leaving the extreme risk category, ending a ban on indoor dining in the affected areas.
"If Oregonians continue to keep up their guard, follow High Risk health and safety measures, and get vaccinated as fast as possible, we should see our COVID-19 case and hospitalization rates decline. I’d like to thank Oregonians for taking this surge seriously for the last several weeks. It’s because of you that our hospitals have not been overwhelmed," Brown said in a statement Tuesday announcing the lowering of restrictions.
