Washington County – Delegate and Congressional Candidate Neil Parrott sued Governor Hogan and other state leaders today, over seemingly unconstitutional executive orders that have been issued by the Governor’s Office. In all, there are 18 plaintiffs in the lawsuit, including businesses, military war heroes, Pastors, and Maryland State Delegates.
One reason the suit had to be filed today was to seek injunctive relief for Delegate Dan Cox who was threatened with arrest by the Maryland State Police if he were to attend a rally with Reopen Maryland in Frederick County. As a result of the threat, he contacted the Governor’s Office, but instead of getting relief, he continued to be threatened should he attend the rally.
Delegate Parrott indicated, “Threatening a legislator with arrest for exercising his first amendment right to free speech is not only unconstitutional, it is wrong. We live in a Republic, and I want to make sure that no one person in Maryland or in any other state of the nation should be able to have unchecked power. ”
He went on to say that, “Governor Hogan is trying his best and may have some good solutions, but even so, new laws like an edict ordering that masks must be worn need to come from the legislature, not the executive branch. I could not in good conscience sit idly by to watch our freedoms be taken away and to allow this to become precedent for future ‘emergencies’.”
Delegate Parrott indicated, “My office has heard from so many families and individuals who are hurting. They are not allowed to work, they have no money, and the unemployment office is unreachable.”
He went on to say that, “It is time to open our state up to work. We have two Marylands right now. Some families are still getting paid by their employees even while at home, while others are not allowed to work and their financial situation is desperate.”
In one example of government overreach, now some people are allowed haircuts because they are essential employees while others could be jailed for getting the same haircut because they don’t have an approval note from a qualified business. Delegate Parrott indicated, “This doesn’t make sense, we are nation where everyone is equal under the law. It’s not time to allow special favors for one class of citizens while punishing others.”
For more information or to get a copy of the case, please contact Delegate Neil Parrott by email at neil@neilparrott.org or by phone at 240-329-0293