FLORIDA: Pastor Drops Lawsuit Threat After Gov Order Allows Open Churches, Now He Wants Police Protection

Via press release from hate group leader Mat Staver:

Hillsborough County Council just met and voted to reverse its order from law last Friday. At the recommendation of County Attorney Beck, the council voted to recognize churches as “essential.”

Mayor Castor wanted to impose the 10 person and six-foot social distancing restriction on churches, but the council voted against her recommendation at the advice of counsel. Any future guidance the county may issue will be recommendations and not enforceable.

Last night, Gov. Ron DeSantis also amended his executive order from April 1 in which he recognized attending “religious services conducted in churches, synagogues and houses of worship” as “Essential Activities.” The order from April 1 still allowed local governments to impose greater restrictions.

Gov. DeSantis amended the order to require his order to be uniform across the state of Florida. Churches are now recognized as “essential” and providing “essential activities” everywhere in Florida.

Liberty Counsel was hours away from filing a federal lawsuit against Hillsborough County. The County Council knew that lawsuit was forthcoming. As a result, the lawsuit will be placed on hold. Sheriff Chad Chronister made many false statements this week about The River at Tampa Bay Church and Pastor Howard-Browne.

Those statements must be retracted. His statements also placed Pastor Howard-Browne and the church in physical harm. Pastor Howard-Browne has received abusive words and death threats since Sheriff Chronister’s press conference on Monday and his media circuit.

Liberty Counsel is calling upon the Hillsborough County Sheriff’s office to provide protection to the church.