McEnany SLAMS Cuomo on pandemic response, lockdowns

By Ian Miles Cheong
|
December 03, 2020

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Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany blasted Democrat leaders on Wednesday during a White House press room conference for their hypocrisy regarding their own lockdown orders.

McEnany slammed New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s unconstitutional edicts to limit houses of worship and close churches from operating in that state amid the coronavirus epidemic.

"Quite clearly," McEnany stated, "these Democrats do not follow their own edicts. They act in a way that their own citizens are barred from acting. Governor Cuomo's decision to impose restrictions on the size of religious gatherings was rebuked by the highest court in the land.”

"But what was Cuomo's response? Instead of showing deference to the Constitution, he attacked the legitimacy of the Court. Governor Cuomo said this 'you have a different court and I think that was the statement that the court was making. We know who he appointed to the court, we know their ideology.” She added.

"Well in fact the ideology of those on the Supreme Court who made the decision to support the First Amendment are in favor of freedom, the Constitution, that survives even during a pandemic.” She continued. "This statement from Governor Cuomo strikes at the heart of the issue: Democrats seek control. These images behind me make clear Democrats' mindset: Rules for thee, and not for me.”

"The President stands with you, your freedom, your ability to decide how to protect your help. We all know how to protect ourselves from Covid-19: wash your hands, socially distance, wear a mask. But as one federal court put it, there is no pandemic exception to the Constitution." She concluded.

McEnany was referring to an emergency ruling by the Supreme Court, issued on Thanksgiving Eve, Nov. 25. The Supreme Court heard emergency cases from religious leaders from both Catholic and Jewish communities in New York, claiming that their First Amendment rights to religious freedom were being unjustly infringed upon by Cuomo.

Reaching a 5-4 decision, the Justices blocked Cuomo’s New York restrictions, which prevented members of the public from worshipping together. "Even in a pandemic, the Constitution cannot be put away and forgotten," they wrote.

The Supreme Court’s emergency order was based on three criteria, first stating that if the case were brought to full trial, there was a “likelihood of success on the merits” of the case.

Secondly, stating that restriction on religious worship would cause “irreparable harm” to First Amendment rights. Third, they noted the "public interest" of the case, stating that "it has not been shown that granting the applications will harm the public."

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