Nail, hair salons join LA restaurant in lawsuit against Newsom over outdoor dining ban
LOS ANGELES - Several hair and nail salons have joined a Los Angeles restaurant in a lawsuit against California Governor Gavin Newsom over the outdoor dining ban.
The Pineapple Saloon, a restaurant in Sherman Oaks, went viral after the owner posted a video online showing a major Hollywood production team, just 20 feet away from her restaurant, setting up for catering while her restaurant was mandated to close due to the pandemic.
She has filed a lawsuit against Gov. Newsom arguing that his executive orders and the state’s enforcement of the orders "violate substantive and procedural rights protected by the Due Process Clauses of the Fifth and Fourteenth Amendment."
RELATED: Sherman Oaks restaurant listed as plaintiff in lawsuit against Newsom over outdoor dining ban
A month after her lawsuit was filed more California businesses are joining in.
The Dhillon Law Group, Inc. and Geragos & Geragos filed an amended complaint of the lawsuit Pineapple Saloon v. Newsom, adding the new plaintiffs Images Luxury Nail Lounge, Inc., POMP Salon, Bella & Harmony, Inc., and Coachella Valley Hospitality Unites.
"Cutting hair and al fresco dining are criminal acts in only one state in the United States because Governor Newsom has decided to make these industries sacrificial lambs," said Fred Jones, general counsel to the Professional Beauty Federation of California.
"This is not brain surgery, we have been misled by the health officials. They don’t know what they are doing, it’s been demonstrated again and again. They are the ones causing the deaths by forcing people indoors," said attorney and restaurant owner Mark Geragos.
Did outdoor dining ban contribute to rise in COVID-19 cases?
Many restaurant owners say the outdoor dining ban may have contributed to the surge in cases. But while there is no way to prove that, many restaurants are now suing the state of California. They say there was no scientific decision in closing outdoor dining.
Since outdoor and indoor dining has been banned in LA County for months, many restaurant owners say the ban could be making the COVID-19 surge worse.
While there is no way to track if the outdoor dining ban contributed to the spike in cases, some doctors say it is possible.
"The reality is a ban on indoor and outdoor dining is going to drive people indoors, into their own private houses. There is clearly going to be an increased risk of COVID transmission. You are not going to have the established procedures to prevent COVID transmission in a restaurant," said Robert Winters, infectious disease specialist.
"There is no science nor data that justifies the blanket closure of all outdoor dining and beauty services," said Harmeet K. Dhillon, managing partner of the Dhillon Law Group, Inc.
FOX 11’s Phil Shuman contributed to this report
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