FERRY COUNTY, Wash. — The Chief of Police in Republic, Washington, and Republican gubernatorial candidate Loren Culp called the state's stay-home order a "draconian restriction" on his campaign Facebook page on Thursday.
Culp wrote that Gov. Jay Inslee is violating the Constitution by closing down small businesses.
"Walmart, where you might be among 100 or more other shoppers, are deemed critical and allowed to be open, but the local mom and pop cafe can't allow even five people inside without he threat of their state business license being pulled, and fines being imposed," Culp wrote.
He went on to say citizens should be free to go on with their daily lives.
"If I choose to peacefully assemble, go to church, go to a gun shop, take my family fishing, open my business, enjoy the outdoors, or exercise any of my Constitutional rights, I should not be restricted from doing so by a would-be-dictator," he wrote.
Upon issuing the order, Gov. Inslee said, “We know life will look different tomorrow in Washington,and we know tonight’s announcement affects millions of our livelihoods. But these necessary restrictions will protect us and our loved ones so that we have a livelihood to come back to. We will keep working until this is defeated.”
Local and state health officials are still recommending the public stay home to limit the spread of the coronavirus, noting asymptomatic carriers could be a driver of the pandemic, according to the CDC. The CDC recently recommended everyone wear face masks while out in public, however, the CDC noted this does not replace their recommendation that the public stay home as often as possible.
Due in part to the stay home order, Washington was able to return a field hospital in Seattle and 400 ventilators to the national stockpile to be redeployed in areas that still need them.
Recently, Bonner County sheriff Daryl Wheeler called the state of Idaho's "stay-at-home" order a suspension of the Constitution in a letter to Gov. Brad Little.
In a response from local health care workers published in local newspaper The Bonner County Daily Bee, health care workers say they wish normal life could return – but it isn’t that simple.
“We are aware that some would like you to relax and let life return to normal. We wish that were possible,” the health care workers’ letter reads in part.
