Thread by @AGEllison

I have the duty to enforce MN law & @GovTimWalz’s Stay Safe MN order, protect Minnesotans’ health & protect businesses complying w the order from unfair competition. I take that duty seriously. This is why I’m suing St. Cloud-area Shady’s bars/restaurants. ag.state.mn.us/Office/Communi…

The vast majority of Minnesota’s bar & restaurant owners are doing the right thing during the #COVID19 crisis by keeping their doors closed & protecting their employees & customers. I know it’s hard on them. They deserve the thanks of all of us for doing the right thing.

Some owners have said they don’t want to wait any longer & want to reopen illegally. We’ve reached out to them to educate them about their rights & responsibilities and the risks to Minnesotans’ health of reopening illegally. Almost all have agreed to comply & I thank them.

But the owner of Shady’s says he’s going to reopen tomorrow & break the law. That endangers his customers and employees—in Stearns Co, w the 2nd-highest number of #COVID19 cases in Minnesota & a per-capita rate 2.5x higher than Hennepin Co and 3.5x higher than Ramsey Co.

So I did my duty under the law & filed an enforcement action to stop it. I prefer that everyone comply but if they won’t I’ll do what my job requires & will enforce the law. Remember: 15,668 of our fellow Minnesotans have gotten #COVID19. 722 of them have died. #StaySafeMN