Vice President Mike Pence said Nevada Governor Steve Sisolak's recently introduced coronavirus restrictions on churches represented open discrimination against people of faith and advised the member of the Democratic Party to reconsider. He expressed gratitude towards the people of Nevada for their “sacrifices” during the pandemic in a letter sent to the Democratic governor on Tuesday.
In his letter, Pence lauded the administration's remarkable Federal response that has helped Nevada with therapeutics, PPE (personal protective equipment), and medical supplies. He went on to raise a concern regarding the governor's "subjective decision" which involves disproportionately applying relief efforts in a way that seems to blatantly discriminate against people of faith.
Noting that he is pleased that Sisolak is bent on protecting jobs in the entertainment and tourism industry, Pence pointed out that his decision to prioritize slot machines and blackjack over churches is offending millions of Americans. He urged the governor to reconsider his decision and show the same courtesy to places of worship including mosques, synagogues, and churches that he has offered to casinos across Nevada.
Pence's letter comes as Sisolak has hinted at considering the possibility of lifting COVID-19 restrictions on religious gatherings. Sisolak's move is a result of the Supreme Court's decision to rule in favor of the state earlier this year in a case brought to the high court by a rural church, claiming that the governor's coronavirus restrictions that cap religious gathers at 50 people weren't constitutional.
The Supreme Court in June rejected an appeal by the church to allow more worshippers to join in-person services based on capacity during the still raging coronavirus pandemic, Fox News reported. The restriction implemented by the state includes a 50-person cap on places of worship, regardless of the capacity of the building, as part of Nevada's coronavirus restrictions.
A myriad of other businesses including casinos, movie theaters, and restaurants are eligible to fill in up to 50 percent capacity, meaning, casinos could grant access to hundreds of patrons simultaneously. The church, Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley, recently filed new briefs to a federal court of appeals, following the Supreme Court's decision to reject its bid for an emergency order to cancel the cap.
Sisolak has asked his advisers to check if the state can ease the restrictions, allowing churches to expand the number of people that can attend. During a recently concluded news conference Las Vegas, Sisolak said they have been reviewing various approaches to figure out how to ease the restriction and adopt best practices that have been introduced in other states, AP reported.