New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo confused many with his latest coronavirus restrictions.
Cuomo, a Democrat, posted a tweet on Tuesday warning New York business owners that they could not serve outdoor drinks to customers who are not also purchasing food. He said that any business caught serving only drinks outdoors could have its alcohol licenses revoked.
“Let’s be clear. Outdoor dining is now permitted statewide. Outside drinking is not,” he wrote. “The state will suspend liquor licenses for businesses in violation of health orders. Local governments must also enforce these rules. We need compliance to stop the spread and keep New Yorkers safe.”
Let’s be clear.
Outdoor dining is now permitted statewide.
Outside drinking is not.
— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) July 21, 2020
Many questioned the logic as to why it was safe for New Yorkers to be served a meal outside but not only drinks. Jenna Ellis, a senior legal adviser to President Trump’s reelection campaign, called Cuomo’s regulation “absolutely ridiculous.”
“Let’s be clear,” Ellis wrote. “This isn’t about the science. It’s about your little power trip.”
Let’s be clear.
This isn’t about the science. It’s about your little power trip.
Absolutely ridiculous.#FREENEWYORK https://t.co/o5VGIbTVku
— Jenna Ellis (@JennaEllisEsq) July 21, 2020
Several others mocked the policy, as well. Some said it “makes no sense” while others condemned Cuomo’s promise to punish business owners who have been struggling since the pandemic began. Many also compared the governor’s treatment of business owners to his treatment of protesters in New York who broke social distancing guidelines while demonstrating in the city against police brutality and racial injustice.
This… makes no sense, of course.
Also worth remembering: liquor stores weren’t closed down during the shutdown. They were deemed essential. https://t.co/Z78spmtmS8
— (((Jason Rantz))) on KTTH Radio (@jasonrantz) July 21, 2020
“And if you disobey we will send the police we defunded after you.” https://t.co/MkF6AFHabh
— Austin Petersen (@AP4Liberty) July 21, 2020
This is a puritanical and illogical policy that punishes an already struggling industry. There is zero reason New Yorkers shouldn’t be able to catch up over an outdoor beer. Crack down on the hotel pool parties etc – focus on actual problems! https://t.co/1SiTvthkcm
— Jonathan Ringen (@JonathanRingen) July 21, 2020
Outdoor rioting is also fine tho https://t.co/4v9LBauCm1
— Young Republican National Federation (@yrnf) July 21, 2020
New York is home to one of the deadliest coronavirus outbreaks in the nation. More than 400,000 people had confirmed cases of COVID-19, and 32,519 people died from the virus. The state has the second-highest deaths per 100,000 cases, trailing only its neighboring state of New Jersey, and leads the nation in confirmed coronavirus cases per 100,000 people.
Cuomo’s leadership has been criticized by many because of the volume of cases. But Dr. Anthony Fauci, the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases’s director, praised New York for handling the pandemic “correctly.”
