CrosswordNewsletters
DAILY BEAST
ALL
  • Cheat Sheet
  • Politics
  • Crime
  • Entertainment
  • Media
  • Innovation
  • Covid-19
  • World
  • U.S. News
  • Scouted
  • Travel
CHEAT SHEET
    POLITICS
    • Biden World
    • Elections
    • Opinion
    • National Security
    • Congress
    • Pay Dirt
    • The New Abnormal
    • Right Richter
    • Trumpland
    MEDIA
    • Daytime Talk
    • Late-Night
    • Fox News
    U.S. NEWS
    • Identities
    • Crime
    • Race
    • LGBT
    • Extremism
    • Coronavirus
    WORLD
    • Russia
    • Europe
    • China
    • Middle East
    SCIENCE
    • Hunt for the Cure
    • Rabbit Hole
    TRAVEL
      ENTERTAINMENT
      • TV
      • Movies
      • Music
      • Comedy
      • Sports
      • Sex
      • TDBs Obsessed
      • Awards Shows
      • The Last Laugh
      HALF-FULL
        CULTURE
        • Power Trip
        • Fashion
        • Books
        • Royalist
        TECH
        • Disinformation
        SCOUTED
        • Face Masks
        • Clothing
        • Technology
        • Bedroom
        • Kitchen
        • Home
        • Fitness
        • The Case For
        • I'm Looking For
        • New Kids On the Block
        COUPONS
        • Adidas Promo Codes
        • DoorDash Promo Codes
        • H&M Coupons
        • Hotwire Promo Codes
        • Wine.com Discounts
        • Vitacost Coupons
        • Spanx Promo Codes
        • StubHub Promo Codes
        Products
        NewslettersPodcastsCrosswordsSubscription
        FOLLOW US
        GOT A TIP?

        SEARCH

        HOMEPAGE
        Coronavirus

        Trump Won’t Rule Out Suing Local Governments to Reopen: ‘It Would Depend on the State’

        DISTURBING

        The president offered words of praise for Attorney General Bill Barr, who told prosecutors Monday to be on the “lookout” for states that may be violating citizens’ civil liberties.

        Hunter Woodall

        Updated Apr. 27, 2020 11:25PM ET / Published Apr. 27, 2020 7:25PM ET 

        Win McNamee/Getty

        President Donald Trump declined to rule out Monday a threat by Attorney General Bill Barr to consider taking states to federal court over coronavirus-related restrictions. 

        “It would depend on the state, it would depend on the circumstances of the state,” Trump said when asked Monday about Barr’s directive to federal prosecutors.

        In a document dated Monday with the subject “Balancing Public Safety with the Preservation of Civil Rights” Barr wrote about the measures states have taken to help their communities stay safe during the coronavirus pandemic. He then directed U.S. attorneys to “also be on the lookout for state and local directives that could be violating the constitutional rights and civil liberties of individual citizens.” 

        “Many policies that would be unthinkable in regular times have become commonplace in recent weeks, and we do not want to unduly interfere with the important efforts of state and local officials to protect the public,” Barr wrote. “But the Constitution is not suspended in times of crisis.”

          The instruction from Barr comes as Trump continues to face a tense dynamic between the White House and the nation’s governors. The president had earlier falsely claimed total authority over states reopening decisions, a move he quickly backed away from.  

          When a reporter pressed Trump during a press conference in the Rose Garden about whether the federal government would indeed consider suing states, the president punted to Barr.  

          “But I think he wants to see, like everybody, he wants to see people get back and wants to see people get back to work,” Trump said. “He doesn’t want people to be held up when there’s no reason for doing it. In some cases perhaps it’s too strict.” 

          Soon after, Trump bemoaned that there are some people that cannot open a store and fretted they could “lose their livelihood.”

          “And by the way that causes death also, between all of the things that happen and this has been a big study,” Trump said. “The fact that people aren’t allowed to have their freedom causes a tremendous amount of problems, including death. So that’s what he's talking about.”  

          Only a few states in the country have avoided stay-at-home orders during the pandemic. But the president has been clear about his issue with the restrictions some states have put in place. Earlier this month, Trump targeted a trio of Democratic-led states with a Twitter call to “LIBERATE” them.

          And when it comes to people protesting state restrictions, Trump has labeled those who have gathered to demand an end to stay-at-home orders as “very responsible people.”

          “If a state or local ordinance crosses the line from an appropriate exercise of authority to stop the spread of COVID19 into an overbearing infringement of constitutional and statutory protections, the Department of Justice may have an obligation to address that overreach in federal court,” Barr wrote in the Monday memo. 

          Hunter Woodall

          @HunterMw

          Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.

          READ THIS LIST

          DAILY BEAST
          • Podcasts
          • Cheat Sheet
          • Politics
          • Crime
          • Entertainment
          • Media
          • Covid-19
          • Half Full
          • U.S. News
          • Scouted
          • Travel
          • Subscription
          • Crossword
          • Newsletters
          • Podcasts
          • About
          • Contact
          • Tips
          • Jobs
          • Advertise
          • Help
          • Privacy
          • Code of Ethics & Standards
          • Diversity
          • Terms & Conditions
          • Copyright & Trademark
          • Sitemap
          • Coupons
          © 2022 The Daily Beast Company LLC