A Democrat-appointed judge sparked controversy after ordering a church to pay $1.2 million.
According to the reports, a church in California was ordered to pay $1.2 million because it held religious services and did not follow the COVID-19 pandemic restriction guidelines between November 2020 and June 2021.
“Calvary Chapel did not force churchgoers to wear masks, which defied rules mandated by Santa Clara County, in San Jose.” Trending Politics reported.
The report also claimed that Superior Court Judge Evette D. Pennypacker mocked the church for their mask defiance in a ruling on April 7.
“It should appear clear to all — regardless of religious affiliation — that wearing a mask while worshiping one’s god and communing with other congregants is a simple, unobtrusive, giving way to protect others while still exercising your right to religious freedom,” Pennypacker reportedly wrote, the Associated Press stated.
Pennypacker also claimed that the church not only refused to comply with the mandates but also “urged others to do so ‘who cares what the cost,’ including death.”
Following the controversial ruling, Pennypacker’s history made headlines.
According to the reports, California Democrat Governor Jerry Brown appointed Pennypacker to the Santa Clara County Superior Court Bench in 2018.
Amid the controversy, a previous report of the same church’s attempt to sue the county also resurfaced.
Trending Politics revealed that “after the pandemic restrictions were first implemented the church attempted to sue the county, alleging the rules were a violation of religious freedom.”
Moreover, in response to the judge’s ruling, Mariah Gondeiro, the attorney representing the California church released an official statement, claiming that an appeal against the April 7 ruling will be filed.
Meanwhile, the counsel for Santa Clara County, James Williams, celebrated Pennypacker’s ruling, arguing that the court “once again saw through Calvary’s unsupported claims and found them meritless.”
“The county’s response to the pandemic, including the health officer’s public health orders and enforcement against entities that refused to follow the law, saved thousands of lives and resulted in one of the lowest death rates of any community in the United States,” Williams added in the statement.
