Dr. Sara Cody, the county’s public health officer, was scheduled Thursday for a deposition in the ongoing case, in which an appellate court earlier this week dismissed $200,000 in fines against Calvary Chapel San Jose.
But Cody will be questioned about other violations the church may still be liable for such as requiring face masks during services in late 2020. The county still seeks nearly $3 million in fines.
“Calvary did not dispute the fact of its numerous and serious violations during the height of the pandemic and before vaccinations were available,” a county statement said. “We will continue to hold Calvary accountable for putting our community’s health and safety at risk.”
Legal analyst Dean Johnson said the debate of public health versus religious freedom is likely to end up with the nation’s high court.
“The Supreme Court may ultimately have to face the argument it avoided literally for centuries, which is ‘Can we as a court sit and decide what is a valid religious claim and what is not a valid religious claim?'” Johnson said.
Full story at nbcbayarea.com.
I remember this church. They were the church that did the work that the bishop of that diocese should have done.
As I’ve said before, while I don’t agree with all of Pastor Mike’s decisions, he and some others have worked for religious liberty for all. When Dr. Cody shut down church services, without regard for the physical size of the church and precautions taken, she was wrong. Santa Clara County lost twice at the United States Supreme Court and at a California court. What a waste of our tax dollars, especially when there are legitimate public health issues that should be addressed. When will Dr. Sara Cody be satisfied? Might she admit she lost in courts of law and the County isn’t deserving of $3,000,000 from the parishioners there?
How does an unelected official gain so much power?
Calvary Chapel (in) Chino Hills is a church leading the fight against Proposition One. Hopefully, the city or San Bernardino County won’t try to find some reason to shut them down. I wish I didn’t seem so cynical, but from the governor on down to local officials in our state there is much hostility towards people of faith and our values. May God bless and protect the good people of Calvary Chapel.
“How does an unelected official gain so much power?”
Great question.
It was granted little-by-little, decade-by-decade, buried in hundreds of pages of legislation, by legislators serving the handful of special interest groups who sponsor them — including the medical/pharmaceutical/insurance industry.
The Plandemic exposed how governments at all levels now serve their billionaire masters, rather than the common good of all.
Which brings up the next Big Question all Catholics of good will must start asking:
Have the governments we suffer under lost their legitimacy?
If not, where do we draw the line?
And if so, what should we do about it?
I’m not following every detail of this case but it seems to me it’s time to move on. I didn’t like what the Church was doing, they endangered lives trying to prove some weird point. But it’s trine to move on and heal.
Gay sex endangers lives too. I don’t think you’ve ever spoken out against that.
Deacon-You are not cynical.You are a realist.Thanks for being a voice for sanity.