Snitch State Attack: Family Owned Business

We recently alerted you about Gov. Northam's "snitch line"—a statewide system that encourages Virginians to anonymously report businesses and even churches for potential violations to his executive orders on COVID-19.  Since then, there've been more than 15,000 complaints filed to the snitch line, and there's no penalties for false reports. Virginia pastors and business owners are starting to speak up about the negative impact.

For instance, a beloved and well-known family-owned restaurant in Powhatan—the County Seat—was a victim of anonymous complaints. Among other things, complaints claimed there was no signage about masks and social distancing— even though the manager, Tracy Cifers, says she has three signs on each door and two six-foot banners asking people to wear masks. “I’ve got more signage than anyone in Powhatan from what I’ve seen. It was absurd.” Even so, she still had to navigate calls from the state health department. (Watch Tracy's story above.) Churches are also being targeted through the snitch line: “In 4 ½ months we’ve gone from ‘the land of the free and home of the brave’ to land of ‘call the governor on your neighbor,” said Pastor Troy Keaton of EastLake Community Church in Moneta. “That is a scary thing."

Pastor Keaton said his church placed an ad in the local paper to announce outdoor festivities and the re-opening of in-person services on July 1. The very next day, July 2, the church had already become the victim of an anonymous complaint—even though the event had not yet taken place! The church then had to defend itself to a health department official. Fostering anonymous reports of churches to the government—without any accountability—“is 100 percent in opposition to the Constitution,” said Pastor Keaton.

Want to speak up for business owners and clergy like Tracy and Pastor Keaton? We still need your help to share the "Stop the Snitch State" petition with as many people as possible--since we'll be delivering the signatures to the Governor's office in just a few days!