MO Rep Ordered to Leave Emergency County Council Meeting Under Threat of Arrest

As the United States works to limit the spread of COVID-19, states have responded in varying degrees. Many have closed public schools, limited the number of people in social gatherings, and ordered restaurants and bars to close their dining rooms. California, New York, and Illinois have effectively told their entire population to ‘shelter in place’, ordering all non-essential businesses to close and residents to stay home. Only those employed by ‘essential’ services are allowed to commute to and from work.

Other states, such as Missouri, have made recommendations to combat coronavirus according to CDC guidelines, but have largely left such decisions to local governments. Kansas City and St. Louis mandated restaurants close to customers with the exception of carry out or delivery, and limited social groups to 50 people or fewer. 

But how far are local governments willing to go to enforce executive decisions? 

Thursday afternoon, Missouri Representative Tony Lovasco posted on social media that his county council was meeting Friday morning to vote on an ordinance that would “provide for unidentified misdemeanor criminal penalties for violating a “Public Health Order” issued by the County Executive” which could be “issued unilaterally by the Executive, without approval of the Council or a vote of the people.” Additionally, the public was forbidden to attend the meetings, in direct violation of Missouri’s Sunshine Law.

Representative Lovasco went on to state, “I plan to attend the meeting tomorrow morning, both as a private citizen and as an elected representative of the people of District 64. If myself or any member of the public is denied access, I will consider any and all appropriate legal responses available under the provisions of Chapter 610 RSMO.” 

On Friday morning, Lovasco and several members of the public showed up to the council meeting. According to Eva Lovasco, each person had their temperature checked before being cleared to enter the building, and were given papers to keep with them as confirmation. Shortly before the meeting was to begin, after a terse conversation, St. Charles County Counselor John Watson ordered Representative Lovasco and the others to leave or he would have the police forcibly remove them.

This video posted by another member of the public attempting to attend the meeting, shows County Executive Steve Ehlmann refusing the group entry as well, and asking them to keep their distance.

 

Additionally, two members of the seven member St. Charles County Council, Joe Brazil and Joe Cronin, were denied access to the meeting. The two councilmen were told this was due to recent travel to Illinois.

When asked about the incident and any further actions he was considering, Representative Lovasco responded,

Despite a prior warning that closing a meeting to public access violates Missouri’s Sunshine / Open Meeting laws, the St. Charles County Council met this morning after denying access to myself and several members of the public. Two members of the Council were also barred from entering the meeting due to recent travel to Illinois.
During the meeting, the Council passed a measure that provides criminal penalties for violating provisions of a “Public Health Order” — an executive order issued unilaterally by the County Executive.
I am deeply troubled by the actions of County government, and am currently exploring the possibility of legal action.

He posted the following regarding the outcome of the meeting and Emergency Bill 4829. (Video of the full meeting can be seen here.)

Related posts

19 comments

viagra sildenafil July 4, 2020 at 12:19 am

order viagra online

viagra coupon

cialis generic cialis July 11, 2020 at 2:37 pm

sildenafil vs tadalafil

cialis cialis generic

online payday loans July 13, 2020 at 7:58 am

loans online

personal loans

loans online July 16, 2020 at 7:46 am

online loans

loan online

viagra prescription July 22, 2020 at 10:01 am

viagra prescription

viagra cost

cialis internet July 25, 2020 at 9:56 am

generic cialis

5 mg cialis

20 cialis July 29, 2020 at 8:47 am

cialis 5 mg

cialis to buy

cialis 20 August 6, 2020 at 3:06 pm

cialis 5 mg

cialis generic

free slots August 9, 2020 at 1:29 pm

jackpot party casino

free slots

gambling games August 13, 2020 at 5:59 am

casinos online

casino world

free slots online August 16, 2020 at 9:26 pm

slots online

online gambling

casino games win real money August 20, 2020 at 8:32 pm

slot machine

best real casino online

canada viagra August 23, 2020 at 8:42 pm

cheap viagra

viagra dosage

viagra price August 26, 2020 at 12:21 am

cheapest generic viagra

sildenafil dosage

sildenafil 20 August 28, 2020 at 11:48 pm

viagra pills

sildenafil 100

tadalafil 5 mg September 1, 2020 at 10:20 am

canadian pharmacy cialis

generic tadalafil

cialis pills September 5, 2020 at 11:09 am

generic cialis tadalafil 20 mg from india

generic tadalafil

casino gambling September 15, 2020 at 8:32 am

free slots online

real money online casino

Viagra approved November 19, 2020 at 1:44 pm

Buy now viagra

Buy viagra online cheap

Leave a Comment