Church Sues Maine Governor Over COVID-19 Restrictions

A lawsuit was filed on Tuesday in a Maine federal district court challenging Maine Governor Janet Mills' COVID-19 Order that restricts in-person religious services.  The complaint (full text) in Calvary Chapel of Bangor v. Mills, (D ME, filed 5/5/2020), alleges in part:

Calvary Chapel seeks a TRO restraining enforcement against Calvary Chapel of the various COVID-19 orders issued by Governor Mills and other State officials purporting to prohibit Calvary Chapel, on pain of criminal sanctions, from gathering in person at Calvary Chapel for worship services, regardless of the number of individuals present or whether Calvary Chapel meets or exceeds the social distancing and hygiene guidelines pursuant to which the State disparately and discriminatorily allows so-called “essential” commercial and non-religious entities (e.g., liquor stores, marijuana dispensaries, warehouse clubs, and ‘big box’ stores) to accommodate large crowds and masses of persons without scrutiny or numerical limit.

Bangor Daily News reports on the lawsuit.