BOONE COUNTY, Ky. — Attorney General Daniel Cameron (R) has asked a Boone County judge to void all of Gov. Andy Beshear's (D) COVID-19 executive orders and prevent him from issuing any further ones. 

What You Need To Know


  • AG Cameron asks Boone County judge to void all of Beshear's COVID-19 executive orders

  • Also asked to stop the governor from issuing any further ones

  • Beshear responds on Twitter

  • Follows a series of legal battles against Beshear's orders

Beshear responded to the move on Twitter.

"With no rules, there is no chance of getting kids back to school, we will lose over $10 billion in our economy and many Kentuckians will die," Beshear tweeted. "I hope everyone understands how scary and reckless this is."

This follows a series of legal battles against Beshear's orders.

Earlier this month, Boone and Scott County judges issued temporary restraining orders against several of Beshear's executive orders, allowing Florence Speedway and other local businesses to increase their capacity. The lawsuits, filed by the local businesses themselves, were joined by Cameron.

On Monday, Court of Appeals Judge Glenn Acree upheld the rulings by previous judges, allowing their restraining orders to stay in place. In response, Beshear asked the Kentucky Supreme Court to uphold his orders.

On Thursday, a Boone County judge heard arguments from Deputy Attorney General Barry Dunn and lawyers representing Beshear regarding the governor's orders.

"There are powers beyond 39A. The problem though is the Governor is using 39A and saying 'I declare the emergency, I say what the emergency is and I say when it’s over and nobody get in my way.' That’s the problem. There are other ways to deal with these outbreaks," Dunn said.

Attorney General Daniel Cameron posted his response on Twitter.

 

Since March, Beshear has placed several executive orders, which he exercised under his role using the emergency powers to help prevent the spread of the Coronavirus.

Attorneys representing Governor Beshear argued the law is on his side.

"The State Constitution does provide the Governor to not only as the chief executive but also the the commander-in-chief of the military in Kentucky which falls again under 39A as granted under that statue to address the emergency that we face today such as COVID-19," said an attorney representing Behsear. 

In reference to the Florence Speedway, the judge asked attorneys on both sides file more briefs in a motion of dismissal filed by Northern Kentucky Health Department. The judge held off on ruling about the Florence Speedway until he heard more arguments scheduled for next week.

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