Lincoln commissioner Carrol Mitchem received a citation for opening his restaurant despite an executive order preventing it at the time. | Stock Photo
Lincoln commissioner Carrol Mitchem received a citation for opening his restaurant despite an executive order preventing it at the time. | Stock Photo
Lincoln County Commission Chairman Carrol Mitchem was recently issued a citation by County Sheriff Bill Beam for opening his restaurant against the governor's Phase 1 orders for reopening the economy.
Mitchem told WBTV for its May 18 report that he felt he had to make a stand in opening his restaurant, Mitchem’s Kitchen, located in Vale.
“At a certain point and time I felt like it was an issue and someone needed to stand up," Mitchem told WBTV. “Everybody is happy, they’re real happy about it and they’re glad that somebody took a stand to go against the order of the governor, which not all law is order.”
Some residents had filed complaints with the sheriff’s office, and Beam said he did not have a choice when it came to enforcement of Gov. ROY Cooper’s order.
“No law enforcement officer has the authority to decide which laws are and are not constitutional,” Beam told WBTV. “The NC courts and ultimately the Supreme Court makes these decisions.”
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