Judge Rules In Favor Of W.Va. Governor On Bar Closures

CHARLESTON, W.Va. (AP) – A federal judge has ruled in favor of West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice in a lawsuit over his decision to close bars in student-heavy Monongalia due the coronavirus pandemic. The owners of 12 establishments sued the governor last month for ordering them to close after pictures were posted online of college students packing bars without masks. News outlets report the judge issued an order Tuesday denying a motion for injunctive relief on behalf of the businesses. The ruling said the “right to do business” has not been recognized as constitutionally protected and the claims “ignore the grave nature of why the Governor issued a state of emergency.”