Florida representative sues City of St Augustine over mandatory mask ordinance

Although the City of St Augustine Beach announced to Historic City News last week that they would not adopt a similar ordinance, and the St Johns County Commission announced neither would they, the latest overzealous order adopted by Mayor Upchurch and his crew, a mandatory mask ordinance, has triggered a lawsuit against city taxpayers.

District 32 Representative Anthony Sabatini (R), filed the latest lawsuit against the City on Thursday morning in St Johns County Court, seeking an injunction on the mask mandate.  He has filed similar lawsuits in Hillsborough and Orange counties, as well.

“They’ve enacted a really crazy policy that likely violates the Florida constitution, due process, and equal protection,” said Sabatini who believes making the masks mandatory violates the law.  “Businesses are shunning visitors and treating them terribly because this city commission has really done a terrible thing.  We hope that they retract the ordinance.”

“We’re suing to reassert the rights of people who work in the city of St. Augustine,” Sabatini said, claiming that this is about government overreach.  The mask debate has no doubt taken over your social media timelines, but now the discussion is set to go before a county judge.

Sabatini also called city commissioners “snobby” and “elitist” over the $500 fine that comes with each citation.  Sabatini, whose District covers parts of Lake County, said that the ordinance will result in the harassment of people with disabilities who can’t wear a mask.