John MacArthur took home another ‘W” this afternoon when California Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff issued a new five-page opinion, denying the County of Los Angeles’ much-desired restraining order against the church and Pastor John MacArthur.
In a press release by the Thomas More Society, the firm whose members are representing John MacArthur and GCC, Special Counsel Paul Jonna explained:
“The court correctly concluded that Los Angeles County’s renewed application for a temporary restraining order was both procedurally and substantively defective. This was their fourth unsuccessful attempt to obtain a court order prohibiting indoor worship services at Grace Community Church. We look forward to fully vindicating our clients’ constitutionally protected rights in subsequent proceedings for this important case.”
Responding to news of winning the recent legal skirmish, John MacArthur said in a statement:
“We are very grateful to Judge Beckloff for his reasoned opinion and for taking great care to review this very important matter. As I said in my declaration to the court, we see this action against us as an illegitimate misuse of power. It should shock the conscience of every Christian that churches are coming under assault from our own government simply for holding church. Church is essential.”
Jenna Ellis, one of President Donald Trump’s lawyers and one of the bulldogs defending MacArthur and Grace, was very direct in her condemnation of the whole affair, issuing a public statement pointing out the stunning hypocrisy that the church is under greater restrictions than strip clubs and that this power-grab will not stand.
“This should signal to LA County that California courts will not quickly or easily trample the constitutionally protected rights of churches.
We maintain that their health order is unconstitutionally burdening the right of churches to worship, and there exists no rational basis, much less a compelling interest, to try to shut down indoor services at this point, particularly when the county is allowing strip clubs to operate and massive riots to take place – and not seeking restraining orders against them.
We look forward to making those arguments at a subsequent proceeding, where we will ask the court to properly check this power grab by Los Angeles County and the State of California’s executive branch.”
The next step in this ongoing fight is a hearing set for September 4, 2020.
