Democratic presidential candidate Washington Gov. Jay Inslee waves after speaking during a campaign event at the Unity Freedom Presidential Forum Friday, May 31, 2019, in Pasadena, Calif. (AP Photo/Chris Carlson)

On March 23rd, Washington Gov. Jay Inslee’s instituted a stay-at-home order for the entire state. And on April 2nd, he extended it through May 4th.

But on Tuesday, Snohomish County Sheriff Adam Fortney posted to Facebook his best Twisted Sister — sick of the COVID-19-inspired assault on constitutional rights, he’s not gonna take it.

Adam had a lot to say.

“I just watched the Governor’s speech to Washingtonian’s regarding our approach to getting Washington back in business,” he began, “and I am left to wonder if he even has a plan?”

Adam said he “wasn’t even sure what [Jay] was trying to say half of the time.”

And to be curt: “He has no plan. He has no details.”

The lawman wants the constitutional rollback to stop — there appears to be insufficient reasoning.

Adam noted that he’d written something similar a couple weeks before, but he’d chosen to give the governor the benefit of the doubt — perhaps he’d be revealing more in the way of getting people back to work. But it hasn’t happened.

“After what I witnessed tonight, I can no longer stay silent as I’m not even sure he knows what he is doing or knows what struggles Washingtonian’s face right now.”

The sheriff noted that the pandemic is dangerous, but the citizenry is taking precaution. And he’s worried about people’s ability to take care of their needs — particularly when the country’s endured a shutdown that was based on faulty modeling. And the plan we’re currently following could be taking us in the absolute wrong direction.

Furthermore, as Adam sees it, the distinctions between “essential” and “non-” are ridiculous:

“Are pot shops really essential, or did he allow them to stay in business because of the government taxes received from them? … If pot shops are essential, then why aren’t gun shops essential? Our Governor has told us that private building/construction must stop as it is not essential, but government construction is okay to continue. So let me get this right, according to the Governor if you are employed or contracted by the government to build government things you can still make a living for your family in spite of any health risk. If you are a construction worker in the private sector, you cannot make a living and support your family because the health risk is too high. This contradiction is not okay and in my opinion is bordering on unethical.”

He grilled the governor somethin’ fierce:

“As I arrive to work at the courthouse, I see landscapers show up each day to install new landscape and maintain our flowerbeds. How has Governor Inslee deemed this essential work? However, a father who owns a construction company and works alone while outdoors is not allowed to run his business to make a living to provide for his wife and children? How has Governor Inslee deemed thousands of Boeing employees who work inside a factory building airplanes essential? But building residential homes is not essential? If a factory with 20,000+ employees each day can implement safe practices to conduct normal business operations, I am entirely confident that our small business owners and independent contractors are more than capable of doing the same. … The government should not be picking winners or losers when it comes to being able to make an income for your family.

As “the virus is proving to not be as lethal as we thought,” Adam asserted, perhaps it’s “time for a balanced and reasonable approach to safely get our economy moving again and allowing small businesses to once again provide an income for their families and save their businesses.”

And he made it clear — the Inslee is impeding citizens’ rights:

“[I] believe that preventing business owners to operate their businesses and provide for their families intrudes on our right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.”

Bottom line:

“As your elected Sheriff, I will always put your constitutional rights above politics or popular opinion. … The impacts of COVID 19 no longer warrant the suspension of our constitutional rights.”

So he’s defying Jay Inslee:

“Along with other elected Sheriffs around our state, the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office will not be enforcing an order preventing religious freedoms or constitutional rights.”

Furthermore, he encouraged citizens to demand of their leaders the right to begin reopening business and “to return to work if they choose to do so.”

“This is not a time to blindly follow,” he surmised. “This is a time to lead the way.”

Wow. It’s quite the bold stance for a sheriff.

Then again, much of America is currently engulfed in a pretty bold shutdown.

Adam is right — people are suffering, and they need to get back to work in order to survive.

How best might we beat this virus? That’s the million-dollar question, but personally, I believe the nation was right to initially pause. Healthcare has needed to find its way to sufficiency. But we obviously can’t stay locked down forever, and there’s little to any immunity being built among the herd. Moreover, amid the crisis, an economic one doesn’t help.

What do you think of Adam’s post? Let us all know in the Comments section.

Snohomish County Residents and Business Owners,I just watched the Governor’s speech to Washingtonian’s regarding our… Posted by Snohomish County Sheriff Adam Fortney on Tuesday, April 21, 2020

-ALEX

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