State Representative Anthony Sabatini, the firebrand conservative who represents House District 32, is taking a quick break from his legislative duties to legally represent a Pinellas Park business owner who arrested for violating the county’s safer-at-home order.
Gallen Wood, the owner of Kitchen Table Games at 9600 66th Street North in Pinellas Park, was arrested earlier this month after deputies say he violated the order when he operated his non-essential business.
According to deputies, the 36-year-old business owner continued to operate his store that specializes the tabletop gaming after the Pinellas County Board of County Commissioners issued the order late last month. Authorities say they were called to the business five times between April 3 and April 16, due to complaints and tips that the store was open and social distancing guidelines were not being followed.
Wood was issued a warning on each occasion, before deputies conducted a non-essential business compliance check at his store on April 16. Wood refused to close the store and was arrested shortly after.
Wood is the first Florida business owner to be arrested under such orders.
Sabatini, a Republican lawmaker and outspoken proponent of limited government, has been vocal throughout the coronavirus outbreak, calling for the state of Florida to reopen as more and more Floridians continue to file for unemployment. He maintains that stay-at-home orders are unlawful and illegal.
The Howey-in-the-Hills legislator, who also serves in the Army National Guard and is a graduate of the University of Florida’s Law School, says that Wood did nothing wrong and that his recent arrest is another example of the government infringing on people’s rights.
“I’m proud to be able to take this case — Mr. Wood did nothing wrong and yet suffered the consequences of unlawful government overreach,” Sabatini said.
Sabatini went on to say Thursday that he will be representing Wood alongside attorneys from the law firm of Oldham & Delcamp.
So why don’t you share this with each and every family who has had to bury a loved one because of the virus? I don’t disagree with them staying open, but social distancing should have taken place. This is the exact reason people are freaking out over. I am an essential employee and I am scared. My husband is going in for open heart surgery next month. I am the sole support to our family. I have to work. I go to work early every morning to just to make sure our store ( Walgreens ) is cleaned and sanitized. This is a video game store, I am sure they could do more to protect people or they need to close. Shame on you for representing them. I know where my next vote won’t go to.
It is your choice to go to work and taking care of your family is your responsibility and no one else’s. Your fears do not trump the constitutional rights of every citizen in this nation. Your needs are not my needs and I have no obligation whatsoever to take care of you or any other citizen of this nation. That was the claim of the Nazis, we’re just protecting everyone’s safety. I am appalled by being forced to give charity to those I do not choose to, to being unlawfully deprived of my 5th and 6th amendment rights, to be forced into involuntary servitude, a violation of the 14th amendment. The government would be justified in imposing a quarantine on knowingly sick people but that is the extent of their authority. I am appalled by each and every governor and they should be put in jail for the commission of multiple felonies. It is a felony to derive someone of their constitutional rights without due process of law.
Amen