Name: Bar owners threaten to sue state over closures amid COVID19 pandemic
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Bar owners threaten to sue state over closures amid COVID19 pandemic

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AdvertisementBar owners threaten to sue state over closures amid COVID19 pandemicHide TranscriptShow TranscriptBARS THROUGHOUT LOUISIANA HAVE BEEN CLOSED TO STOP THE SPREAD. A GROUP OF OWNERS SAY THEY ARE TAKING MATTERS INTO THEIR OWN HANDS. GOOD EVENING. I'M GINA SWANSON. SULA: AND I’M SULA KIM. THEY ARE PREPARING TO FILE A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE STATE FOR CLOSING DOWN THEIR BARS AGAINST THEIR WILL. SHAY O’CONNOR IS LIVE WITH DETAILS ON THE SITUATION REPORTER: THE OWNERS TELL ME THEY DO NOT BELIEVE THE RISE IN COVID NUMBERS WITHIN THE STATE IS SOLELY BECAUSE OF THEIR BARS. THEY ARE DEMANDING THAT STATE LEADERS LISTEN TO THEIR COMPLAINTS &gt;&gt; WE FEEL VERY TARGETED. THEY LITERALLY ONLY SHUT DOWN BARS. REPORTER: DREW JORDAN OWNS DOUBLE HILL BAR AND GRILL IN HOUMA. HE SAYS SHUTTING HIS BAR DOWN ONCE DURING THE PANDEMIC WAS UNDERSTANDABLE, BUT TWICE MAKES NO SENSE. &gt;&gt; THE LAST TIME WE GOT SHUT DOWN, WE DIDN’T COMPLAIN TOO MUCH, BECAUSE WE KNEW IT WASN’T JUST OUR BUSINESS BEING SHUT DOWN. MULTIPLE BUSINESSES WERE HURTING IN THE LONG RUN. THIS TIME, IT’S JUST BARS AND WE HAVE NO HELP. REPORTER: SO HE AND ABOUT 5 OTHER BAR OWNERS FROM AROUND THE STATE ARE SUING. THURSDAY THE GROUP PAID A VISIT TO THE CAPITOL TO MEET WITH GOVERNOR JOHN BELL EDWARDS’ ATTORNEY, AS A WARNING. &gt;&gt; I ASKED THE ATTORNEY IF THEY WERE OK KNOWING THEY WOULD COME OUT ON THE LOSING END OF THIS. THEY SAID WE DON’T WANT YOU TO SUE US, BUT IF THAT’S WHAT YOU FEEL LIKE YOU HAVE TO DO, THEN DO IT. SO THAT’S WHERE WE FEEL WE HAVE TO GO. &gt;&gt; WE JUST WANT TO OPEN OUR BARS. WE JUST WANT TO BE LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE. REPORTER: KEITH HULIN OWNS EMERALD BILLIARDS IN NEW IBERIA AND SAYS HIS BUSINESS HAS ALREADY LOST THOUSANDS SINCE THE FIRST CLOSURE. &gt;&gt; ALL WE ASK IS TO GIVE US A CHANCE. REPORTER: OR BARS ACROSS THE STATE MAY HAVE TO SHUT THEIR DOORS FOR GOOD. &gt;&gt; THEY ARE REALLY PUTTING IT ON THE BARS. THEY SAY THE BARS ARE THE REASONS FOR THE SPIKES. REPORTER: THE GROUP SAYS THEY PLAN TO MEET WITH LAWYERS NEXT WEEK TO FILE THE LAWSUIT TO HAVE THEIR BARS REOAdvertisementBar owners threaten to sue state over closures amid COVID19 pandemicDrew Jordan owns Double Hill Bar and Grill in Houma. He said shutting his bar down once during the pandemic was understandable, but twice makes no sense. "We feel targeted, they literally only shut down bars. The last time we got shut down we did not complain too much because it was not just our business being shut down. Multiple people were shut down. This time it is just bars and we have no help," said Jordan.So Jordan and about five other bar owners from around the state said they were suing. Thursday the group paid a visit to the State Capitol to meet with Governor John Bel Edwards' attorney, as a warning. "I asked the Governor's attorney, 'Are you all okay knowing you all will come out on the losing end of this?' They said 'We do not want you to sue us but if that is what you feel you have to do.' So that is where we feel we have to go," said Jordan. Keith Hulin, the owner of Emerald Billiards in New Iberia said his business had already lost thousands since the first closure."We just want to open our bars. We just want to be like everybody else. We are asking the Governor to give us a chance," said Hulin.Or bars across the state may have to shut their doors for good. "They are really putting it all on us. They are saying the bars are the reason for the spikes. And to me that is unfair you cannot prove we are the reason for the spikes, " said Jordan.Drew Jordan owns Double Hill Bar and Grill in Houma. He said shutting his bar down once during the pandemic was understandable, but twice makes no sense. "We feel targeted, they literally only shut down bars. The last time we got shut down we did not complain too much because it was not just our business being shut down. Multiple people were shut down. This time it is just bars and we have no help," said Jordan.AdvertisementSo Jordan and about five other bar owners from around the state said they were suing. Thursday the group paid a visit to the State Capitol to meet with Governor John Bel Edwards' attorney, as a warning. "I asked the Governor's attorney, 'Are you all okay knowing you all will come out on the losing end of this?' They said 'We do not want you to sue us but if that is what you feel you have to do.' So that is where we feel we have to go," said Jordan. Keith Hulin, the owner of Emerald Billiards in New Iberia said his business had already lost thousands since the first closure."We just want to open our bars. We just want to be like everybody else. We are asking the Governor to give us a chance," said Hulin.Or bars across the state may have to shut their doors for good. "They are really putting it all on us. They are saying the bars are the reason for the spikes. And to me that is unfair you cannot prove we are the reason for the spikes, " said Jordan.Loading more articles...

AdvertisementBar owners threaten to sue state over closures amid COVID19 pandemicHide TranscriptShow TranscriptBARS THROUGHOUT LOUISIANA HAVE BEEN CLOSED TO STOP THE SPREAD. A GROUP OF OWNERS SAY THEY ARE TAKING MATTERS INTO THEIR OWN HANDS. GOOD EVENING. I'M GINA SWANSON. SULA: AND I’M SULA KIM. THEY ARE PREPARING TO FILE A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE STATE FOR CLOSING DOWN THEIR BARS AGAINST THEIR WILL. SHAY O’CONNOR IS LIVE WITH DETAILS ON THE SITUATION REPORTER: THE OWNERS TELL ME THEY DO NOT BELIEVE THE RISE IN COVID NUMBERS WITHIN THE STATE IS SOLELY BECAUSE OF THEIR BARS. THEY ARE DEMANDING...

Bar owners threaten to sue state over closures amid COVID19 pandemic

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