COVID 19: U.S. Supreme Court Voted Against New York Governor

U.S. Supreme Court Voted Against New York Governor
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The U.S. Supreme Court late on Wednesday voted in favour of Christian and Jewish houses of worship in their challenge of New York state coronavirus restrictions that limited gatherings in religious institutions.

The Supreme court, which has a 6-3 conservative majority, voted 5-4 in favor of requests by the Roman Catholic Diocese of Brooklyn and two Orthodox Jewish congregations for an injunction to block the restrictions from being enforced.
President Donald Trump’s new appointee, conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett, vote was a deciding vote in favor of the religious groups why another conservative Chief Justice John Roberts dissent along with the court’s three liberals in the order marked one of the first consequential actions on the court involving Presidents new appointee.

Read Also: America Has No King: New York Governor Cuomo Blasts Trump

While responding to the court decision on Thursday, President Trump tweeted, ‘HAPPY THANKSGIVING!’

The case originated from Democratic New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s October 6 decision to shut down non-essential businesses in targeted areas where infections have spiked, including some neighborhoods in Brooklyn. The restriction limited gatherings at religious institutions to 10 people in some areas and 25 in others.

The houses of worship argued the limits violated religious freedoms protected by the U.S. Constitution’s First Amendment, and that their facilities were singled out for more stringent restrictions than essential businesses, such as food stores.

The Orthodox congregations Agudath Israel of Kew Garden Hills and Agudath Israel of Madison, as well as nationwide Orthodox Jewish group Agudath Israel of America, requested the injunction to prevent the state from enforcing the restrictions.

A federal judge in Brooklyn rejected separate requests made by the religious groups on Oct. 9. The New York-based 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals declined emergency requests filed by both sets of challengers on Nov. 9.

The U.S. court has witnessed two such cases this year and the court in 5-4 votes turned away similar requests by churches in Nevada and California and this can be understood to have occurred because of liberal Judge Ruth Bader Ginsburge who gave way for the appointment of Conservative Amy Coney Barrett. New York Governor,

Andrew Cuomo in a tweet which mentioned the court’s decision on Thursday urged New Yorkers to ‘Mask up’ that nearly 7,000 people in the state had tested positive the day before while 67 died as a result of the virus. Cuomo in a separate celebratory tweet for Thanksgiving asked New Yorkers to ‘Celebrate safely.’

 

AFRICA DAILY NEWS, NEW YORK

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