-updated May 11
Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt is suing St. Louis County Executive Sam Page and the county health department for its COVID-19 restrictions. Read full lawsuit here, filed in the Circuit Court of St. Louis County, 21st Judicial Circuit.
According to the Attorney General’s press statement, “the suit takes issue with the restrictions on religious institutions, masking requirements for K-12 education, government pre-approval for events, and outdoor mask requirements, among others.”
“The seemingly unending control over people’s lives must end. Vaccines are widely available to all adults – it’s past time for St. Louis County to lift these restrictions, and that’s why I filed suit today,” Schmitt said in the press release.”
St. Louis County Executive Page and St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones announced ReOpen St. Louis orders in early May.
It also takes issue with the new, revised rules for the county and agreed to by St. Louis City, announced May 3, by “refusing to consider important aspects of the problem and refusing to consider less restrictive alternatives that are reasonable under the circumstances.”
Doug Moore, spokesman for St. Louis County responded today:
“We all know Mr. Schmitt is trying to increase his profile statewide and suing those protecting the health and safety of residents is apparently one of the ways he has chosen to do that. Our focus is on getting people vaccinated and on economic recovery.
Litigation around public health orders across the country is nothing new and St. Louis County has been successful in defending every legal challenge around public health orders. Our legal foundation is sound.”