ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. - Florida Representative Anthony Sabatini, (R) Clermont, is suing Orange County over its newly-enacted mask mandate, calling it a violation of privacy and unconstitutional.
"They’re micromanaging the lives of every individual in Orange County to look important, to look tough, to look cool,” Rep. Sabatini said.
The mandatory mask mandate went into effect on Saturday in Orange County. Mayor Jerry Demings issued it due to the recent surge of cases. It requires that every person working, living, visiting, or doing business in the county wear a face-covering while in public.
Sabatini called a news conference Monday to announce the lawsuit against the county.
He called the mask mandate vague and said it infringes on people's rights, stating that "we have a loud and unapologetic message that we have to send to the elected officials of Orange County, and that is this: That you have to follow the law and follow the constitution and not invade the private rights of people."
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Dozens of people who oppose the mandate showed up for the announcement.
The plaintiff named in the case, local entrepreneur Carl Jackson, also spoke.
“Everything they asked us to do, we did,” Jackson said. “Now, what they’re trying to do is use this COVID-19 to further infringe on our rights and I’m just tired of it. I’m not going to have it anymore.”
During his daily coronavirus briefing, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said he stands by his mandate, saying it will help stop the spike in new cases, citing that “I still believe that what we’re doing is a measured approach to responding appropriately.
The attorneys behind the lawsuit told FOX 35 Orlando that they would gladly drop the lawsuit if Mayor Demings would change the word “required” in his executive order to “recommend.”
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