“Jay Inslee continues to out-do himself by now trying to cancel Christmas and New Years for millions of families and businesses,” said Aaron Withe, national director of the Freedom Foundation, which has filed numerous suits in Washington and other states where it has offices in response to over-reaching COVID regulations. “His actions are straight from the Grinch’s playbook.”

“Businesses across Washington are continuing to suffer,” he continued, “and many are closing because Inslee and his cronies continue to play politics with their lives and dreams. The toll these unnecessary, unscientific and unconstitutional edicts have had on Washingtonians is far worse than COVID has or will ever have.”

“From the entrepreneurs who have poured the life energy into their business to the young people that have been laid off, everyone is a victim of Inslee’s fear campaign,” Withe said. “Many have suffered the mental health issues associated with lockdowns, and in many well-documented cases, have even taken their own lives. Inslee’s actions aren’t heroic, and they’re not motivated by good intentions. He’s literally killing businesses and young people to feed his lust for power.”

“Most galling of all,” Withe concluded, “Inslee’s orders are coming from a man and an organization, the government, that have made no sacrifices or suffered in any way as a result of COVID. No one in government has had to fear losing their job, worry about paying their mortgage or stress about whether their business will survive. Their only losses have been the tax dollars they’ll lose from those businesses that have shut down. But never fear, what they lose in revenue will just be made up when Inslee increases taxes on people next year. There won’t be any cutbacks. In fact, in Seattle they actually gave its city employees a pay raise. And they’re doing it when the people who actually need it most, small businesses, are being forced to close their doors.”