Prominent Delaware Attorney slams Carney for updated guidance on church gathering.
Below is the statement and the court documents,
Wilmington: Over the Labor Day holiday weekend, Governor Carney renewed his war on Christian Churches with his latest salvo demanding that preachers again turn their backs on their congregations and preach to the back wall if they refuse to preach through a face mask. The reimposition of more of the previous restrictions on Baptisms and Communion are expected shortly, and perhaps it again will be a crime to go to church on Christmas, as it was on Easter.
The Committee backed the federal lawsuit by Rev. Dr. Christopher Bullock in late May which resulted by June 3rd in Carney abandoning all his previous restrictions on: Baptisms; Communion; preaching; limiting church services to one hour a week; and who can attend on that day. His attached May 23rd Order required preaching to the back wall. The attached May 28th emergency federal court hearing transcript demonstrates that the Court found the Governor’s May 23rd preaching Order unconstitutional. To avoid being forever remembered as a violator of the U.S. Constitution, on June 3rd Carney then expressly revoked all his Emergency Orders directed to Christian churches. See letter attached. Churches were at peace until September 4th.
The attached pages 18-19 of the September 4th, 27th Emergency Order of the Governor reinstituted for churches the requirement that a pastor, reader or singer wear a face mask when facing the congregation. Of course, the Governor never wears a face mask when addressing the media or others. Otherwise, as was illegally Ordered on May 23rd they must turn their back, face the back wall and preach, read or sing to the back wall.
Already pastors of three large congregations, both up and down state, have protested the Governor’s renewed war on Christian churches, asserting they will not obey his illegal order which violates Article 1, section 1 of the Delaware Constitution, which in 128 words states that the Governor has no power over religious worship and must keep hands off the church.
On September 15th in the Bullock v. Carney case counsel for Rev. Dr. Bullock called this new aggression to the attention of the Court. Carney is presently arguing that the case against him is without merit and there is no power or jurisdiction of the federal courts to examine his blatantly illegal actions during his now six months old emergency.
“You can’t communicate preaching through a face mask. And you cannot require an advocate for a religious message or any other kind of message to turn his even turn sideways. Religious speech is protected by the federal and Delaware constitutions,” said attorney Thomas Neuberger speaking for the Committee. “For four months now the Committee has been fighting so that Carney cannot make it a crime to have church on this Christmas, as he did in March for Easter, the most sacred day of the Christian calendar. Six months of the Governor’s arbitrary power are enough. He should lay down his arms and not start another war on religious believers,” concluded Neuberger.